Beacons of Hope
by bathedinblood
Summary: After the fall of Beacon, Ruby leads her friends into an alien world. The White Fang are crippled, the Taken are everywhere, and her fallen mentor is slaughtering Guardians. Will they have what it takes to confront the Taken King and his new champion? Rated M for violence, language, and suggested adult themes.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

 _Vale, Remnant, 6 months after the fall of Beacon..._

The state of affairs were, admittedly, never destined to be good considering what had happened. Ozpin's death would have upset the Council on a normal day, and a room full of angry suited men vying for power had been completely expected. What Shaxx had not anticipated was the fearful looks in their eyes, ringed white and gesturing with stricken, shaky hands. These were the men of power, the real leaders of Vale. Shaxx somehow doubted that they felt powerful at the moment. It could have been his peaceful takeover, or the White Fang still residing in parts of Vale.

The empty chairs in the council room were also something of a concern. Cinder's agents had done more than just sabotage Beacon and the Vytal Festival. In the Kingdom's capital, council members and city leaders alike had been captured or killed by the White Fang. The district attorney, several judges, two city councilors and one of Vale's parliament had disappeared, and the mayor had been publicly executed on the steps of City Hall. Mayor Frost had been a conniving weasel of a man, but he had also been pushing for civil liberties prior to the White Fang attack. It seemed that whether you were pro-Faunus or not, the White Fang's headsman was coming for you.

The Guardians were still operating on capture only orders for the White Fang, as much a favor to Guardian Belladonna as a way to locate the missing persons. As the angry leaders of Vale howled their rage at him, the massive Titan realized that such mercy would not work in his favor.

The council room itself had seen some minor scuffles, and the emergency sessions they had been calling did not allow the custodians time to sweep up or repair the fallen ceiling tiles. The room had a wide semi-circle of a bench, on which the sitting leaders faced their inferior local representatives and Shaxx himself. Two smaller round tables had been set aside for the city's leaders, each with a comfortable chair and a name plate for each politician. Half of them were empty. Stood at the podium among a dozen screaming bureaucrats, Shaax couldn't tell if this was a meeting or a trial. The presence of Magnus, leaning against the wall next to the wooden double doors, did little to assuage that notion.

 _Are they really so ill prepared for conflict? Not even Faction meetings are this loud._ And those involved actual weaponry.

"ENOUGH!" The din quieted as one of Vale's councilors rapped a gavel on his desk. The man was older, maybe in his sixties, and stood tall among his peers. A slight paunch hung above his belt, but the muscles of strenuous work had not yet faded from his frame. His short, graying hair receded from his temples, and a short but thick mustache sat above his lip. Councilor Anthony Arden was in charge of the Kingdom's treasury and finances, and despite his winter years spent in an elected position the man was a veteran police officer. Shaxx had met him, albeit briefly, before the meeting had been called to order. He was a gruff, no nonsense man that demanded results, not empty promises. In another situation, Shaxx was certain that he could be friends with Councilor Arden. As it stood, however, the dedicated man was likely his most resilient rival here.

"You've spent the past three weeks screaming at each other like sorority girls. I expect this meeting to at least accomplish _something!_ " Arden said loudly, in a tone of voice that indicated he was supremely disappointed with those that were listening. A few representatives on Shaxx's side of the room lowered their eyes at that, but the others on the High Council were not intimidated.

"With all due respect, Councilor, progress would be a bit easier if our security wasn't so lax." A large, bordering overweight woman to Arden's right said snidely. Her brown hair hung down around her face in a way that implied it was intentional, though Shaxx thought it too silly for an elected official. Her pearl necklace was a tad too gaudy for such official processions, but _no,_ let's criticize the security forces. Councilor Verdant Mayweather was in charge of foreign relations, and often made her living poking holes in the plans of others instead of forming her own.

 _When did I start thinking like Horst?_ Shaxx berated himself.

The Councilor of Defense, on Arden's left, leaned forward to look at his accuser around Arden's suited form. He wore a long, black coat and an eye patch, angry veins creeping out from underneath the black cloth. His dark head was bald, and a trimmed goatee covered his chin. Had Shaxx not taken over Beacon, Councilor Nick Fury would have taken over the Huntsman forces as well as conventional arms after the death of Ozpin. Despite the fact that Shaxx had replaced him in commanding Beacon, Fury was perhaps the Guardians' only true ally in Vale's hierarchy. He had done nothing but supplement Shaxx's defenses, and the two had spoken on multiple occasions on how to further safeguard the Kingdom. Either he saw them as an efficient scapegoat if things went wrong, or he legitimately believed that the Guardians were on Remnant to help.

"I'm sorry, at what point in time did _alien invasion_ become a valid defense concern? Because last I checked, it was ten minutes after the Taken started killing our people." Fury sniped back, and Mayweather leaned back in her chair to break the stare down. "No amount of preparation could have helped us against an enemy that we didn't think existed six months ago."

"I agree with Councilor Fury." Shaxx spoke up. "The Guardians here were training as fast as they could, but not even Titan Horst could have predicted the speed of Oryx's arrival. We were all caught off guard." Fury nodded at the Titan's support, but it was Arden's turn to face the Crucible handler.

"And yet you knew they were coming. Where was our warning? You knew damn well they were on their way, and you didn't even think a heads up was appropriate?" His anger was especially evident by the way his face tried to imitate a tomato.

Shaxx held his arms out to either side. "Titan Horst and Hunter Spirit made Ozpin aware of what was coming, but we thought it would be years. Using all the technology and magic we know of, it should have taken Oryx years to reach Remnant. Instead, it took a little less than ten weeks." Arden scowled and leaned back in his chair, but Shaxx wasn't finished. "Ozpin had agreed to keep things a secret, at least when it came to Oryx. What else could be done? We, alien in everything but appearance, show up on your planet and tell you to grab all your guns because _another_ alien race is coming to kill us all? You would have clapped Horst and his students in chains at the first opportunity, and Oryx would own Vale right now, perhaps even all of Remnant."

"That's a decision you still made for us, Titan. Had you brought it before us, even in secret, we might have been prepared for this Oryx." Mayweather was determined to divide the Council against him, for reasons he couldn't quite grasp. As Councilor of Foreign Relations, he'd just opened a whole new avenue for her in the way of _another fucking planet_. There were limitless advantages to having another civilization as your ally, yet Mayweather was still trying to drive a wedge between Earth and Remnant. Shaxx tried to figure out where she won in that situation, but they were awaiting an answer. He could investigate later.

"The Grimm feed on panic, fear, and anger. I firmly believe that Ozpin sought to prevent that response by keeping us a secret." Shaxx winced beneath his helmet. "Whether I agree or disagree with that decision is, at this point, academic. We cannot undo the damage that has been done, and we need to get this city back on its feet."

"Shaxx is right." Councilor Fury leaned forward and rest both of his elbows on the desk before him. "The sooner we get the White Fang and the Taken under control, the sooner we can get back to pointing fingers at each other. Without the Councilor of the Interior here, we can't keep this many cooks in the kitchen. Lord Shaxx, what do you advise in regards to the Taken?"

This was something he could take charge of. Organizing against an enemy was what he was there for, not frivolous blame games. He knew, however, that they were coming back to that.

"The Taken are ordered here by their King, Oryx. They are all captured forces or subjugated Hive, and the Blight has corrupted them further. Because it is his main source of power and control, the Taken scatter Oryx's Blight wherever they go. If we can remove the concentrations of Blight, the King will have no choice but to deploy his Champions. Kill them, and the Taken will not return." Shaxx had already deployed Guardians to do the same in the Sol system, with excellent effect. They couldn't touch Oryx in his Ascendant Realm, but everything outside of it was dying quickly. Hopefully, they could do the same for Remnant.

"Are these Champions you speak of formidable? One of them slew Titan Horst, after all, and he was demonstrated to be better than most Huntsmen." Arden asked, though not unkindly when he mentioned Shaxx's student.

"That was a Hive general, Alak-Hul; the Darkblade. He has lived for many years, and has slain many powerful Guardians. However, he did so after Horst had been weakened significantly, and with the help of Oryx himself. Six newborn Guardians and a Huntsman were enough to kill Prince Malok, a master of the Blight. I think that fully trained Huntsmen and Huntresses should be able to defeat these Champions if they work together." If Qrow was any indicator, there were a few of Remnant's warriors that could kill a champion single handedly.

"That's good news, at least." Arden said gruffly, stroking his mustache in thought. "What happened to your new recruits, the ones from Beacon? I was told they have not enrolled in this semester's classes." That had not been Shaxx's decision, but rather RWBY, JNPR, and CRDL. After the all boy team had received their Ghosts, Cardin had demanded that they be able to help the rest of the Guardians. _"What's the point of getting good grades in politics if the Kingdom comes down around us? Horst would kick our asses for that!"_ Despite the attitude others had for him, Shaxx respected the reformed bully and his team. One day, he would have to get the story out of Cardin as to why the large teen was so caught up in impressing their fallen teacher.

"They made that decision on their own. Some require special training for their new abilities, while others have a personal stake in the conflict that surrounds us. Out of the fifteen recruits we have from Remnant, seven remain planet-side." Weiss had been called by the Cryomancers, and Ruby had gone with her. Blake was hunting down the White Fang fanatically, and Yang was supporting her. JNPR had taken the plunge and headed to Earth to further their Guardian training. Team CRDL worked with Vale's forces to quell any further dissent within the Kingdom, using the Winchester name and some stiff force to get cooperation on everyone's minds. All of Horst's students had stepped up to help with the war effort, and Shaxx was immensely proud of them.

"Yes, Miss Belladonna has made it abundantly clear that she wants the White Fang captured, despite their numerous attempts to kill every human they can get their hands on." Mayweather sniffed derisively. Fury gave her a dry look.

"They have Faunus on their kill list too, Councilor. It's an important distinction." Mayweather rolled her eyes, but gave no retort.

"Regardless, they've been protected for too long." Arden ordered. "The interrogations have yielded little results, and these guerrilla tactics have made it difficult to pin them down. Find their leadership and remove it, no matter the cost." Shaxx bristled at taking orders from a politician, but Arden was no mere baby kisser. And the man had a point. Despite Blake's insistence that they were close to a breakthrough on Adam Taurus' location and the identity of his master, Shaxx could admit he shared in the Council's frustration. Too little had been done at too great a cost. Even with the Guardians assisting, they had not been able to prevent the White Fang attacking civilians.

The sight of still bodies on the streets did little to repel the Grimm, and it was even worse when the corpses were too small.

"We will amend our contact protocol. My second hand man will be breaking up a meeting tonight we have discovered through some traitors' testimonies. I'll make sure he gets the point across." Magnus had been dying to go full throttle on the White Fang, but Shaxx had held him back until now. The prospective Iron Lord was going to have a field day when he hit the White Fang meeting. Even as he stood at the doorway, Shaxx could see Magnus cracking his knuckles in anticipation.

"I suppose that is more than we had at the beginning of this meeting." Arden groused. "Carry out your duties, Lord Shaxx. We're counting on you to get us back on our feet." With that, the representatives on Shaxx's side of the room began standing and gathering their things, coats and scrolls lifting from tables as they began talking in a commotion of different voices. Councilor Mayweather stood and left immediately, either unable or uncaring to remove the disgusted sneer from her fat face. Fury and Arden remained, leaning back to talk to each other quietly, though the cacophony behind Shaxx prevented him from hearing their words.

The immense Titan stood over the two Councilors, and they both acknowledged him with a nod before continuing their conversation.

"I'm not asking you to hand it over on a silver platter, but you can't tell me Goodwitch has enough help to keep the place safe." Fury argued quietly, and Arden reluctantly nodded with a frown.

"That academy is where all the future defenders of Vale will be trained. As effective as they are, you'll excuse me if I don't feel like dumping it into the hands of people we just met." Arden's eyes met Shaxx's, though he did not shy away from him. "No offense, Titan."

"None taken." It was stupidity to trust your kids to an alien species anyway. Horst had been but one Titan, and Ozpin obviously liked to play a little loose with his schemes, but there wasn't a Titan alive that could fault Arden for being defensive. It really didn't help though.

"Lord Shaxx, without proper security and support to Headmistress Goodwitch, we can't in good faith allow the school to remain open. It was hard enough to encourage re-enrollment, and I believe that was more in your favor than our own recruitment. Do you have any suggestions?" Fury stood up to meet Shaxx's eye, but he only made it to mid chest.

"Perhaps a small security garrison would be easier? We won't have full control of the school, but the Guardians will be able to respond to any threats against Beacon. If Glynda has any problems with them, she has my authority to throw them out, violently if necessary." Hunters and Titans were well known for mischief off duty, but it was the last thing he needed at the moment. Giving Goodwitch free reign over them would hopefully provide them with enough discipline to prevent a scene.

"Alright. We can do that. If I see any Guardians entering the city at Mach 5, I'll know what happened." Arden said with a sigh. The man pushed himself up and offered a hand to Shaxx. The Titan took it without hesitation.

"We're trusting you with our Kingdom, Shaxx." Arden said as he shook the massive Guardian's hand. "You do this right, and Vale will always support you. Fuck it up, and we will curse you from the grave." He released Shaxx's hand, and together Fury and Arden turned to leave, though not before Fury gave Shaxx a respectful nod. As the last of the Councilors made their way out of the chamber, Magnus finally approached Shaxx.

"That was a waste of time." The younger Titan said simply. Shaxx shook his head, but he didn't correct his fellow Guardian. In the grand scheme of things, the only thing they had done was restate the plans he had made months ago, but now the Council was on board with it. It was a small but important difference.

"Hit the docks hard tonight." Shaxx said coldly. "Offer them a chance to surrender, but leave none that resist alive. Belladonna will be angry with us, but there must be consequences for the dead."

Magnus nodded once and turned on his heel, ready to head to the warehouse district immediately. Shaxx watched him go and sighed, his massive shoulders drooping slightly as he relaxed. All this wheeling and dealing with the Council was starting to grate, but he was lucky to even have a conversation with them in the first place. Were it not for the deeds and sacrifices of Horst and his students, the first thing Shaxx would have done in this chamber otherwise was pull a trigger. That alone was worth it, in the end.

* * *

 _Temple of Time, Neptune..._

Neptune was a very cold planet, Weiss had decided. Having grown up in Atlas, she was no stranger to subzero temperatures, but Neptune wasn't so much cold as it was a total absence of heat. Her fellow Cryomancers thrived in the frigid conditions, and they assured her that she too would one day feel at home there. Until that day came, however, she would lament the cold.

Her combat skirt had finally been done away with, instead she had been provided with some initiate gear: a modest set of training robes colored white and light blue. The tails of the robes barely fell below her waist, and her armored boots were all else she was allowed to wear in terms of armor. Her undersuit was still intact and protected her, but the formal and graceful attire she had worn all her life was no more.

The temple the Cryomancers had built on Neptune was impressive, though. Thick blocks of ice, expertly carved and placed, served as the main cornerstone for the structure. In some cases, they were clear even despite their thickness, while others were so opaque that she could see her reflection and little else. Stone and metal still had its place here, but the Cryomancers made their mastery of ice abundantly clear.

The Grand Master, in his strength, had allegedly been trained by the first of the Cryomancers, some three hundred years ago. Back then, they had been known by a different name.

The Lin Kuei.

Named after an ancient order of assassins, the Lin Kuei had been incredibly exclusive, allowing perhaps one of every ten Cryomancers to study under them. The new Grand Master had abolished such practices, but it did not help the reputation that still persisted even after all this time. He had claimed that the Darkness was taking new Guardians every day, and what right did they have to turn away their brethren? The temple remained a secret to the Last City and the Vanguard, but Grand Master Kuai Liang (Ky – Lang) made sure every Cryomancer that answered the call received their training.

Which is what Weiss found herself doing. Sitting on her knees in a relaxed position, the Schnee heiress neglected her helmet in favor of greater concentration. All around her, a brilliant white glyph spun slowly, indicating the use of her power as she slowly froze the pool of water in front of her. Flake used his manipulation of atoms to keep the liquid boiling hot, and it was up to Weiss to chill it back down to subzero temperatures. Given how much more quickly the Ghost could excite atoms than Weiss could render them dormant, it had proven to be quite the exercise.

Unbeknownst to Weiss, the Grand Master stood behind her in the chamber, his ice blue eyes watching her with fascination. After Remnant had been declared friendly (compared to all the other civilizations humanity knew) Kuai Liang had been curious to see the abilities of these new people. As Weiss finally brought the water down to a temperature Flake could not rescue it from, the room cracking in the process, he knew that she had yet to present her full abilities.

He wore a blue vest over his naked chest, impressive pecs and abs visible between the two broad strips of deep blue cloth tucked into his belt. His pants were black and loose fitting, their knees and ankles tightened with wraps to prevent loss of movement. Medium length black hair was swept back on his head, a few stray wisps of white hanging above his ears. A full beard, thick but neatly trimmed covered his face. His muscled arms were crossed, covered by thick metal bands at the biceps, but nothing about his stance indicated disappointment.

"Well done, Miss Schnee." Kuai Liang said, clapping slowly as her eyes snapped open with a soft gasp. The new Warlock stood and turned, bowing to the Grand Master as her glyph dissipated around them.

"Grand Master! I didn't hear you come in." Weiss apologized, her eyes downcast to avoid insulting the elder Cryomancer. Stepping forward with a chuckle, Kuai Liang grasped his student's shoulders with both hands.

"I told you already, Weiss; there is no need to stand on ceremony here. Your learning takes precedence over any overtures of respect." It was mostly true, though he didn't add that the forced training exercises imparted on the other young Cryomancers were to teach them respect for the craft that Weiss already had.

The young girl had told him what she had done upon awakening her powers. He had listened, stone faced, as she recalled the tale of killing her entire team, including the non-Guardian at the time. It had been a harsh lesson, and one Kuai Liang felt she had learned well enough.

"I completed the exercise, Grand Master. Flake made it difficult, but I was able to accomplish it with the help of my Semblance." Weiss shrugged sheepishly. "I don't have the power to do it using my Light alone, and I had to hold back my glyphs as well as try to chill the water. In the end, I stopped fighting myself and used both."

"There is nothing wrong with using what you have available. Most acolytes try to accomplish what you have done for months. There is nothing unfair about your powers." He grinned slightly. "I came here, however, to give you a mission and a message." Weiss looked around at the room as he stepped back, his hands clasping behind his back in disciplined neutrality. The cracks in the ice began to heal slowly, and a subtle chill filled the room where she had banished it upon his arrival.

"I'll do whatever I need to do, Grand Master." Weiss submitted with a respectful bow. "I need to get these powers under control as soon as possible." Even though Revy had been the first person that Ascended when the Alpha Base became connected to Earth, Weiss still felt a deep guilt over killing the Gunslinger in her carelessness. It had been the primary motivation to seeking out the Cryomancers, and Ruby had supported her all the way.

"I told you when you came here that the Cryomancer is capable of manipulating time as well as ice, did I not?" Weiss nodded at his rhetorical question. "It has come to my attention that your glyphs are also capable of altering time, provided that you supply enough energy. I believe that working exclusively on time glyphs, and studying the Vex, will impart upon you greater wisdom of the Cryomancer." Kuai Lang paced as he spoke, and Weiss stood a little straighter on impulse. "The Vex have been traveling the river of time since we encountering them millennia ago. While their networked consciousness provides many with only puzzles and clues, insight into the Collective may assist you in seeing time as they do."

Weiss' eyes widened eagerly. Her glyphs that she used for acceleration altered the effect of time on any that stood within them, but the adjustments were always slight. An increase in speed without sacrificing awareness, something to catch her opponents off guard. Cryomancers, however, were capable of slowing time all around them, or even stopping it completely. Were she capable of that...

"The other reason I'm here is to tell you that your partner has returned." A tinge of amusement crept into the Grand Master's voice. "She seems... excited to see you, and to discover what you have learned." Weiss' face colored with embarrassment, as it did not take a clairvoyant to figure out what Ruby might have done. Had she parked the _Iron Symphony_ on top of the temple?

"I'm sorry for any trouble she might have-" Weiss made to apologize, but a raised hand from Kuai Liang stopped her mid sentence, as did his grin. Instead of explaining further, the elder Cryomancer simply stepped to the side and opened the door.

A red blur zipped underneath his arm, and Weiss could only roll her eyes as a speeding Ruby wrapped her up in a hug, sending both Guardians into a tumble that ended with them in a tangle of limbs in the corner of the room.

"WEISS!" Ruby's exuberant cry filled the room, and the heiress had a moment to mourn the calm, serene silence she had enjoyed minutes before. "Oh my gosh, you won't believe the things I saw on Titan! There were some Hive, and some ancient floating things, and more Hive, and I think I found a rock, and it was SO FREAKING COOL!" Ruby rambled on, her bone breaking grip on the Cryomancer not lightening up in the slightest. Weiss' face began to turn blue from lack of oxygen, and finally she began pawing at the young team leader in futile attempt to escape.

"Let go of me, you dolt! I can't...ugh...breathe!" The reaper either didn't hear her partner or ignored the strangled request. Either way, the small Huntress scooped up her teammate with surprising strength and spun the Schnee around.

"You have to come back to the Tower and see this! Banshee gave me some new tools to mess with Crescent Rose and Cayde promised to let me try it out in the Crucible!" The excitable team leader shouted, closer to Weiss' ear than she'd have liked. The Crucible was off limits to the Remnant Guardians for now, mostly due to their unique powers. Despite their youth, many of the Crucible contenders had a few things to say about a Guardian that could manipulate their weapons straight out of their hands. Pyrrha was obviously not welcome in the competition, apparently something that Spirit shared. Ruby was about to become the first in their group to compete, though if Cayde was her sponsor Weiss would no doubt encourage her partner to be cautious.

"That's all well and good, but if you don't put me down I'm going to be sick." Weiss growled, and Ruby finally got the hint and dropped her. The Schnee staggered when she landed, but regained her footing after a moment. Honestly, sometimes she felt like more mother than teammate with this girl...

"Are you ready to go? Master Lang said you can take a break for a while!" Ruby begged, and she could almost see the stars in her eyes. Weiss sent a look of apology over Ruby's head, but the Cryomancer leader just chuckled and waved her off.

"You can't learn anything more until you understand the Vex and their relationship with time. Despite our preference for isolation, you are part of a team. I believe Miss Rose will be more than willing to help you." The bearded Warlock stepped to the side, an invitation to leave the icy training room. Weiss paused for a moment, unsure if she should follow right away. Ruby bounced giddily next to her, a welcome distraction from the constant meditation, but also a symbol what she had to return to.

Weiss knew she had to return to Atlas.

Not today, or even next week, but she would soon return to the land of her birth. Atlas had declared war on Vale and the Guardians, but it wouldn't stop her from speaking to her father. While she had meditated with the Cryomancers, the young Schnee had come to realize that her father needed to be reasoned with. Jacques Schnee carried tremendous political sway with Atlas, wielding both her grandfather's influence and his own SDC resources. If he could be swayed, brought to reason, Atlas would be under severe pressure to make peace with Vale. If not...

Well, he was not a true blood Schnee. A change would be necessary. She didn't dismiss her father carelessly, but if his removal from power was necessary for the good of the company – and not to mention Remnant – she would do it gladly.

"Weiss! C'mon!" Ruby's words and a tug on her arm snapped the heiress out of her dark thoughts, and she fought the smile that threatened to cross her face as her team leader dragged her toward the temple's exit. The cold halls were barren of decoration, equal parts stone and ice. A paltry number of Cryomancers walked the halls, maybe twenty in total, though their armor and hoods prevented the two from actually recognizing any of them. Weiss had not interacted often with her fellow students, but more often than not dealt with Grand Master Liang or his lieutenant, Frost. Their self-enforced isolation did little to broker camaraderie among the students. Weiss didn't mind, but she could see how graduate Cryomancers could become standoffish and reluctant to work with other Guardians. It wasn't a problem she was going to have, though.

The frozen gates did not open for the two partners, but rather they jumped over the twelve foot tall structures. Weiss glided with her Warlock abilities, and Ruby's Semblance proved sufficient when she had a running start. A whirlwind of rose petals and Weiss gently falling to the ground later, they had crossed Neptune's frozen wastes and transmatted into the _Iron Symphony_ in short order. Weiss didn't want to admit it around the Grand Master, but she welcomed the climate controlled cabin of Ruby's jumpship. The cold was wonderful for focusing on her powers and meditating, but that didn't make it comfortable.

"Alright, where is this rock you wanted to show me?" Weiss asked, failing to keep the bored exasperation out of her tone. Ruby zipped all around the cabin, chattering excitedly about how she had outrun a whole nest of Hive Thrall. The reaper deposited Crescent Rose in an alcove behind the pilot seat, then pushed Weiss towards the rear of the cabin. Stacks of ammo crates and a few tables with tools lined the aft bulkhead, but one particular crate was covered with a weathered shawl. The cloth was yellowed with age, and it hung limply over a metal box the size of a milk crate. Ruby stopped pushing her partner and stood next to the crate. She reached down and grasped the cloth with an air of drama, causing Weiss to roll her eyes, but Ruby continued regardless.

"I present to you," The reaper waved her free hand for added flair, "my... uh oh." The cloth came up, and Weiss' stare was flat as the horizon. She was so busy being disappointed after the big build up, she didn't see Ruby's stricken face. The crate was not empty, but it held a dull gray rock that was slightly elliptical in shape, and appeared to be made of granite.

It was also broken in two pieces. A shear ran right across the middle, splitting it open bottom and top. On the inside, a fascinating purple geode lined the interior, but it had been largely hollow at first.

"Ruby, you have got to be more careful with your flying." Weiss reprimanded. "It's a very interesting rock, but you broke it because you were flying like a maniac." Ruby had just stopped hyperventilating when Weiss spoke. Because of that, she was able to play off her shock...with moderate success.

"Uh, y-yeah. My bad. I guess I'm still getting used to it." Ruby fibbed. While Weiss had been locked up with the Cryomancers, Ruby had been flying all over the solar system. She knew how to fly, but the totally uncalled for criticism of her skills was overshadowed by the fact that _the freaking egg had hatched._ Silver eyes darted all over the cabin as Weiss walked toward the bow, spinning the co-pilot seat around to sit in it.

"We'd best get to the Tower. If Ikora will help, I can hopefully get some scans of the Vex and their systems near their precious time gates. The sooner I have these powers under control, the sooner we can go home." Weiss was so busy outlining her goals, she never noticed the scaly tail that wrapped around the base of her chair. Ruby, however, did. The reaper remained uncharacteristically silent in an effort to contain her panic.

 _Oh Geez, I must have fed it enough Light to hatch! I didn't know it would wake up that soon._ Ruby thought wildly, doing her best not to stare at the bottom of Weiss' chair. She failed miserably.

"What? Did I step in something?" Weiss looked down around her seat, and Ruby's breath caught in her throat. She looked up at Weiss in panic, then looked back down.

Only to find that the baby Ahamkara was nowhere to be found.

"N-no, it's nothing! Just glad to have you back, that's all!" Ruby said with a plastic smile, her voice a little too loud for Weiss' tastes. What if Weiss found it? Would she stab it? Squish it? Freeze it? Lecture it about advanced Dust economics?! Each fate seemed worse than the last, and Ruby forced herself to act calm and try to get to the Tower as soon as possible.

"Ruby, you're acting very strange." Weiss scolded, though she made no move to look around further. A good thing too, as the same scaly tail from earlier lazily drooped down from above. The tip of the creature's tail hung just above Weiss' head, and if she had been wearing her usual tiara with her hair instead of a simple metal band, it would have brushed the creature. Given that she still hadn't seen the Ahamkara in full view yet, all Ruby had to go on was the fact that they were wish granting dragons that fed off of the Light. According to the file she had found with the egg, their remains were said to cause auditory hallucinations as well.

And now she had one running around in her ship, and she was praying to God, the Traveler, and whomever else was listening that Weiss didn't find the creature before she did.

 _I really hope Yang and Blake are having a better time._ Ruby thought anxiously as she piloted the _Iron Symphony_ toward Earth. Even as the reaper desperately fought to ignore the little motions in the corners of her vision, Weiss obliviously began filing her nails in boredom.

* * *

 _Several miles outside of Vale, Remnant..._

The forests surrounding Vale were miraculously barren, considering the technology of the Kingdom. Flying Bullheads and floating arenas within the borders, but as soon as you passed that threshold, everything was wood and dirt. Sadly, it was because Grimm interdiction made transport and transit over land very tricky. Not many resources were dedicated to roads outside of the Kingdom proper because there wasn't a need for it. If you were on the road out there, you were armed and on foot, usually only in numbers less than ten.

As Blake watched from the shadows, she had to assume that was what the White Fang encampment was counting on. Dusk had settled over the forest, a collection of trees stretching for miles that actually boasted multiple species of tree, unlike the Emerald Forest and Forever Fall. Four hundred meters on the other side of the medium sized camp, a main path leading from Vale to the port town of Windfall sat in the growing dark.

Vale's defenses were back up, in many cases better than they were before Beacon fell. Lord Shaxx had made every effort to protect the remaining citizens, but he could not defend them from their own doubts. After the attack, many had grown angry with the Guardians, saying that Titan Horst had brought the Taken down upon them. It was a sore topic, and any Guardian within hearing such a claim tended to react...poorly. Fights had broken out, and tensions climbed ever higher until Lord Shaxx had addressed the remaining population.

 _"We're here to save you. It's why we were coming in the first place. But if you feel threatened by the walls that hold back the Darkness, then by all means find your own shelter. We will mourn your passing."_ Some took his announcement as an admission of guilt, that he didn't care enough to stop them. To Blake, he was simply giving the dissidents an out. So they had left, a moderate exodus of people marching down the roads and chartering Bullheads if they had the lien. As people left, however, just as many arrived. Villagers from outside of the city came to see what the trouble was. With the communication blackout, it was the only way they could discover what had happened to their Kingdom. Some were turned away by the departing citizens and their angry words, but many more came seeking answers.

The camp in front of Blake was there to take advantage of both parties. An ugly feeling welled up within Blake's gut as she watched them, sharpening blades and sorting through mismatched bags of belongings. Dried blood trails in the dirt left little to wonder what had happened to the owners of said bags. Raucous laughter could be heard from her vantage point, and Blake's lip curled in disgust. _If Dad were here, he'd teach them all a lesson._ She thought, her eyes settling on the violent new emblem of the White Fang on the back of a patrolling guard.

But here Ghira Belladonna was not, and no amount of wishing would change that. The rage and disgust she felt in seeing the once great movement converted into nothing more than common bandits made Blake feel just a little bit better about who _she_ was there with. Beside her, two Titans crouched out of sight, waiting for her word. One of them wore medieval armor that had been forged by the Iron Lords, the black slits of his helm simmering with heat. The other wore a long brown coat and brown boots, her under suit a mix of yellow and black. Her arms were covered by yellow bracers and her face by a golden face plate, crimson lines of light running down it like tears from the molten red eyes in the mask. The Titan's long blonde hair fell down her back, but her ears and face were covered by her mask.

Blake herself was wrapped in a black jacket that hung down to her ankles, the front open to expose a braided top that crossed several times over her chest and left her midriff bare. Black pants covered legs, the pants themselves covered by thigh high boots that were buttoned at her shins and waist. Her bow was absent, and amber eyes narrowed as she watched the camp. Gambol Shroud sat in its place on her back, ready to draw in an instant.

Yang was there to help her succeed. Magnus was there in case she failed.

Blake had urged Lord Shaxx and anyone else willing to listen that the White Fang was salvageable, their leadership the tumor that needed to be removed. The Guardian leader agreed with her at first, but rising pressure from the Council of Vale had forced him to send Magnus with Blake and Yang on their little absolution missions. Before tonight, there had been no penalty in refusing to join the Guardians in Vale and set aside the White Fang's violent dreams. Now, there would be a hefty cost.

"I'm going down there." She reported, and Yang turned her impassive mask towards the Faunus. "There are a lot of younger members down there, angry kids that think violence is the fast and easy way to equality." Magnus and Yang exchanged masked glances, then the blonde reached up and pressed a button behind her ear. In two quick movements, her mask parted into the frame around her face, revealing worried lilac eyes as Yang regarded her partner.

"Are you sure? We can put up an alert and try to steer people around this place if you need more time." They both knew the offer was weak at best; if entering the camp tonight was optional, Magnus would have stayed in Vale. Still, Blake had to try. It was the only way she would be able to live with herself in the aftermath.

Crouching down and gathering strength, Blake didn't so much jump as disappear, the lengthening shadows swallowing her up whole as she vanished from sight. Yang thumbed her mask again, the two halves sliding together and hiding her troubled expression. She and Magnus both dropped down the embankment they had been hiding behind. Within the camp, tents and hastily erected wooden walls were bathed in flickering light from their torches. Sentries stood in pairs, talking quietly and keeping an eye out for any threats. As far off of the road as the encampment was, they were far more likely to be attacked by Grimm than people. Within the walls, two dozen more White Fang members went about their duties; cooking, cleaning, or sifting through the loot of captured civilians. One Faunus with tusks could be seen digging in between the wooden wall and a row of tents.

Three entrances, thirty White Fang, and a bunch of dead travelers. That's the camp that Blake suddenly appeared in, stepping out from the shadow of a tent she had never been behind to start with. At first, she stood and watched as the Faunus went about their duties, never noticing her. A burly man with tanned skin turned, pausing as he carried some fire wood. When he focused on her, the man dropped his logs.

"T-traitor!" He screamed, backing away as Blake calmly stepped forward. The others heard his panicked call, and soon everyone in the camp had eyes on her. A few hurried clicks and the rasp of blades, and they had their weapons on her too. Blake didn't care.

"You are the traitors here." She hissed, her ears flattening in anger. "We used to mean something. My parents helped create the White Fang. And the White Fang killed them." If her announcement ruffled any feathers, the grunts didn't show it.

"Bullshit!" A high pitched male shouted, his pistol shaking as he pointed it at her. "The humans never respected us until we put them in their place! This is the only way we'll be able to live!" A dozen more nodded and voiced their agreement, but Blake only shook her head.

"Did Adam tell you that?" The mention of Leader Taurus so casually caused the Faunus to freeze. They knew who they answered to, but it would be foolish to say that Adam ruled with a gentle hand. "I guess that's where you got that understanding from. You confuse respect with fear." Blake's image blurred, only for an instant, and all of them stood a little straighter. The young man that had spoken earlier trained his pistol on her, until he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head, and nearly jumped out of his skin when Blake's amber gaze sat just over his shoulder.

"Do you respect me now?" She whispered in his ear. The young man's self control broke, and he jumped away from her with a fearful shriek. The Blake that everyone else was focused on washed away like a mirage, and they all turned to focus on the real deal that stood within their midst. She reached out and pushed a finger against a crimson sword held out toward her, noting with some satisfaction that it was shaking.

"I'm not here to kill you. I'm not here to threaten you. I am here to ask you to stop killing people. Come join us in Vale, where we are working to do some good. Feed someone, defend someone else, stand with us instead of sowing death and hatred everywhere you go." Her voice took on a pleading tone, and her eyes softened. "Preying on people, slaughtering them for no good reason? We're no better than the Grimm at that point. And as long as you do that, the humans that called us monsters? They've won. You can wipe out everyone in their family, and you'll have only proved those bastards right."

Around her, weapons slowly lowered, and the White Fang looked around at each other. The Grimm masks that covered their faces made it difficult to read their expressions. At least, until one took his off. A young man, with shaggy brown hair and piercing blue eyes, slowly let his sword fall to his side as he dropped his mask.

"The first time I ever joined the White Fang, we bombed an SDC convoy. The month after that, we blew up a bunch of Atlas robots. It..." He stopped and took a shuddering breath. "It was fun, and it felt like we were doing something for good. But every now and then, we got those bad orders. Burn down an apartment complex. Shoot up an office building. Hell, we killed more Faunus than humans a couple weeks back. There were children! This just doesn't feel like us anymore." At his words, a rift opened up as his comrades stepped aside. Many of them looked conflicted, but a certain few held nothing but contempt if their snarling lips were to judge. One of them, a very large man with gray skin and a horn sprouting from above his mask, lifted his sword and smacked the young man that had spoken across the back of the head with the pommel.

"Don't fall for those treacherous lies!" He snarled, his deep voice snarling into the young Faunus' face as the young man took a knee. "They are the enemy, and we'll bleed them all dry! Or are you going back on your vow?" The elder White Fang let the threat hang, but he still drew his fist back for another blow. He was stopped, however, by a crimson blade that appeared at his throat. None of the other White Fang had moved, and Gambol Shroud remained on Blake's back. In her hand, however, was the sword of Adam Taurus: Wilt.

"You remind me of the man I got this sword from." She purred dangerously, and the senior members of the White Fang balked at the sight of Leader Taurus' sword. The man in question slowly let his blade fall, his free hand coming up beside his head.

"You won't win this!" He snarled, and Blake fought the urge to roll her eyes. "The _true_ White Fang will destroy you all!" Without responding to his boast, Blake cast her eyes around the encampment.

"Anyone that wants to stop murdering people, and actually cares about doing some good, can meet me at that exit over there." She tossed her head to indicate the one closest to where Magnus and Yang were watching. "We won't hurt you, and no one here will either." The Faunus looked around at each other, and Blake realized that this was it. She stood at the breaking point. As the White Fang looked around at each other, she could feel the mistrust they had for each other. Uncertainty, betrayal, worry; all that and more was tangible as the seconds ticked by. Their indecision was broken as the now unmasked Faunus let his weapon fall to the ground, and began to trudge towards the exit Blake had indicated. One by one, twenty more followed him, until only nine remained. These Faunus were older, and had experienced more hatred and contempt than the younger members. These were veterans of the struggle, ironically those that had joined or were oppressed during the early days of the White Fang, and had seen the most change.

"Traitors, all of you!" The Faunus Blake had stopped with Wilt yelled, spittle flying from his lips as he raged. Behind his mask, the Guardian knew that his eyes were filled with hatred. A hatred her partner had fueled with his self-driven crusade against anything that wasn't a Faunus.

"I told you before. We're better than this." Blake remanded him, stepping back and allowing Wilt to fall from his throat. She held it outward from her, ready to separate his head from his shoulders if he attacked. The rest of the _loyal_ White Fang – and wasn't that an ironic title – watched cautiously as Blake stepped away. She passed Adam's sword to her left hand, the blade pointed behind her as she casually strode toward the exit. Standing there, a woman in a brown leather coat stood, her impassive face framed by some kind of golden guard. Her arms were crossed and no weapon was visible, but Huntresses were known to be unpredictable. These new _Guardians_? Even more so. Yang cast her lilac eyes over the dozen plus that had elected to accept Blake's offer, her expression relieved that so many had taken the offer. Her brow creased and she tensed, however, obviously seeing something behind Blake.

The former White Fang member turned and swung low, just in time to duck the elder Faunus' blade and hamstring him in the same motion. Wilt drew from her left hand into her right, cutting through Aura, cloth, skin and muscle in one motion. The sharp blade had every bit the capacity to cleave his leg off entirely, but Blake ducked back intentionally to prevent the gory outcome. It still left the man she had threatened writhing in the dirt, his blade forsaken as he clutched his mangled leg and howled in pain. Blake stepped back, her heart beating a little faster as the man's screams assaulted her ears. Still, she had to maintain some form of discipline, or the other White Fang bandits would take his attack as a cue. So instead of watching the man she had just crippled bleed out into unconsciousness, she turned her gaze toward the defectors.

"I told you, no one is going to stop you. Get moving." Her voice wavered, but they either didn't notice or didn't care. Under Yang's watchful gaze, the unmasked members of the White Fang marched out of the camp together, stepping around the man that had been their commander. His pained cries had been reduced to angry grunts and gasps, his hands soaked in his own blood as he sought to stifle the bleeding. Above him, Blake finally looked down, and he could see the conflict in her eyes.

"What's the matter?" He cried, agony and rage filling his voice in equal parts. "Can't do what it takes to succeed?! This is why Adam leads us! This is why Ghira couldn't help us! Because he didn't have the stomach to do what needed to be done!" He screamed with an air of finality, as if he were howling into the abyss of his own doom. Blake said nothing, just continued to stare into the man's hatred. When she shifted, he flinched, expecting the finishing blow. But it never came.

"You're right. I'm not ready to kill a bleeding and defenseless man." Blake said, quietly and to the side. "Hurting the defenseless was never what my father stood for. But the Guardians?" She stepped away, leaving the senior White Fang member in the blood-soaked dirt. "They do know how to make sacrifices."

The man craned his neck, twisting on the ground to get a look for where she had gone. But to do so, he would have to take pressure off of his leg, and that was impossible. Gritting his teeth in frustration, he looked around for support from those that had not abandoned him. The remaining eight White Fang made no move to assist him, however. Had they turned against him as well?!

"Cowards." The statement came from behind him, in the direction the traitors had gone with the Guardians. The senior White Fang twisted his head in time to see a metal boot come down beside him, cold in appearance and yet so very warm. In fact, despite his injury the terrorist turned bandit found that everything was getting uncomfortably warm. An armored gauntlet reached down, larger than his own hand, and wrapped around his injured leg. The pressure was far greater than what he had applied himself, and it was all he could do to turn a shriek of pain into a whimper.

"They ran from us out of ignorance, and out of some misguided sense of justice, you cut them down. Without mercy. Without remorse. As if they were nothing more than animals. A sentiment I'm sure you will claim to share." The words were loud, meant for all present, but there was no anger to it. Or rather, he was loud because he needed to be heard, not because of his fury. That was poured into the mangled leg in his grip.

"AH!" The White Fang lieutenant began screaming in pain, sacrificing the action of pressing his leg in favor of striking the man that stood above him. Metal greaves and a stout chest plate foiled his efforts, even as his wound was cauterized and burned. And still, it grew hotter.

"You will all burn in the fires of retribution, and no one will ever remember you. Just a few misguided people in a cold, cruel world." Magnus stated without emotion. The cloying stench of burning flesh filled the area, particularly vile to the enhanced senses of the Faunus, and several of the grunts became sick. Their commander finally stopped screaming, and Magnus' fiery touch enveloped his whole body. Within half of a second, the White Fang commander was reduced to ash. Magnus released the corpse and allowed it to break apart on the ground, stepping forward. The heat required to incinerate a body in so short a time caused the White Fang to shield their eyes, hiding Magnus from them as they struggled with the heat.

"You stand in the presence of a Guardian. You might as well fight the sun itself."

The heat increased tenfold, and the cowering Faunus screamed as they died.

* * *

 _The Last City, Earth..._

"I'm sorry, but my partner is waiting for me." How many times had he politely turned them down now? Six? Seven? Ren fought the urge to sigh in exasperation as the female Hunter nodded and let him pass, though he couldn't ignore her predatory gaze on his back. Or his backside, as he had come to dread. The Tower was filled with interesting and powerful Guardians the likes of which he could have never imagined. Unfortunately, many of them lived a life of adrenaline and no regrets, and being the new people on the scene many were hoping to test him in _all_ applications.

Thank the Traveler no one had propositioned him in front of Nora.

Speaking of, the valkyrie was _somewhere_ in the Tower, according to Orchid. His Ghost floated beside him in companionable silence, though it did watch as the Hunter stalked away from him.

"They do seem interested, at least." The Ghost commented quietly. Ren nodded and 'hmm'ed with an exasperated air.

"Interest is fine. It becomes rude and annoying when they don't take the hint. I don't see how Yang tolerates it." It was rare for Ren to complain, but not impossible. Still, he made sure to be as courteous as possible when dealing with fellow Guardians, even if they did not show the same care. It was only proper, after all.

"Nora's last location was on floor seventy-five, seeking someone called the 'Storm King'. Apparently, he's an expert in Arc energy and its applications." That made sense. Not only did her Semblance find strength in electricity, but Nora's preferred method of Light manipulation was Arc type. She had been working on new grenades and attachments for Magnhild, but other Guardians had been surprisingly silent when she'd asked for assistance in training to be a Striker. It must have been her personality.

Ren looked around the marketplace as he walked toward one of the many banks of elevators. Banners and screens hung from every fixed point it seemed, and the Factions of the Tower continued their ever expanding battle of proving their superiority. The Future War Cult, New Monarchy, the Cult of the Trinary Star, Dead Orbit; all of them sought to compete with the others in a grand rush to be the Faction that saved the City. It all seemed terribly antagonistic from Ren's point of view, but he was still an outsider. Perhaps if he stayed and continued to study Earth and its people, he could come to understand their desperate struggle for superiority in the face of the Darkness.

An elevator chimed just as he walked up, and two Exo Titans exited, their heavy armor clinking in time with their movements. Ren paused and allowed them past, though he did noticed glowing red eyes that followed him as he stepped into the elevator. Scrutiny from all sides, it seemed. Ren gestured toward the elevator, and Orchid provided it with their destination remotely. With another gentle chime, the doors closed and they descended.

Alone, Ren looked down at the Warlock robes Orchid had fabricated. Using materials provided by the Vanguard as well as those he had found in the ruins of Earth's cities, Ren had crafted a long coat with no sleeves that provided adequate protection from projectiles and energy. It was green and white, his usual motif, though a magenta orchid was etched into the back of his robes. His arms were covered from the forearm down with a pair of white sleeves that slowly colored magenta as they approached his hands. In the event of combat in vacuum, Orchid would provide a full body suit and helmet like he had started with. But around the Tower, half sleeves were more comfortable.

The elevator chimed again, and the doors opened onto a metal catwalk with low lights. Down below the metal grating, he could see metal coils that danced with electricity. Given his studies with Light, it was not hard for Ren to sense the energy that pulsed within the room. At the end of the catwalk, a metal gangway led downward at a gentle slope, curling around itself like a flight of stairs. Over the sparking and hum of the current, Ren could hear two people talking animatedly, one of which being his partner.

"So I just have to let it build if I want to smack 'em real good?" Nora asked, her eyes dancing with joy as she swung Magnhild around in its hammer form. Beside her, a Stormcaller of considerable power stood with his hands behind his back. The man's helm was polished to a mirrored shine, and the strange material looked like it had been cut from glass or crystal. Above the full head helm, a crown sat upon his head, wrapped with white cloth. Arcs of electricity danced within the tines of his crown, though Ren was certain to that despite several Arc generators and Nora throwing thousands of amps of electricity around, not a single bolt touched him. In fact, on several occasions where Nora slung a bolt of lightning with her hammer directly at him, the man deflected the bolt without even moving his hands.

He wore parted robes decorated with dancing lightning bolts embroidered into the shoulders and back. The robes fell to mid calf, where a pair of white boots covered his feet. Colored in white and light blue, his robes and gloves danced with electricity at all times. His Warlock Bond was less that and more a miniature perpetual storm, a cloud of vapor and lightning that stubbornly curled around his bicep.

This was the Storm King. According to many Guardians, his power was undisputed when it came to Arc energy. His personality, however, was a little strange.

"Not all the time. You must...Ride the Lightning until you strike. Continue to channel the energy, and then explode like... T.N.T." The man paused and enunciated at odd times, causing Ren's eyebrows to raise. Still, he could tolerate Nora, and agreed to teach them. How bad could he be.

"I gotcha. Hey, Ren! Catch me!" Ren turned, eyes wide with alarm, as Nora flew across the room. Her armor had not changed from their ascendance to Guardians, though her skirt had been swapped out for a combat belt. Several harnesses crossed her armor, and all of them held grenades for Magnhild. On her hip, a small, pink mark hung down, white with a pink hammer on it. Ren let out an 'oof!' as he was rode down to the floor, the metal grating clanging with their impact. A second after they came to a stop, Ren's hair stood on end as Nora's bear hug came with an electrical discharge, the Arc energy that had been supplementing her speed exploding outward all at once. Being a Stormcaller himself, it did not hurt, but the feeling of electricity running through his body wasn't what he would call comfortable either.

"Nora!" He cried out in protest, trying in vain to push her off as she let her weight settle atop of him. Metal greaves hit the grating on either side of his chest, and Nora beamed happily as she refused to budge.

"Yep. That's me!" She completely ignored the fact that he wanted out from underneath her, and instead extended a fingerless glove toward his face, tapping him on the nose. "Boop!"

"It seems you were caught off guard, Lie Ren. I hope you are not... Thunderstruck?" The Storm King said with a chuckle. Ren's eyes were flat as Nora giggled again, this time actually climbing off of him and helping him up. Ren dusted off his pants and looked around, then bowed to the Storm King.

"Thank you again for agreeing to help us. As great as our powers are, we won't be able to help anyone if we do not improve." The Storm King waved off his thanks, instead stepping back allowing room for Ren and Nora to spread out.

"It is an honor of my own to see your abilities in action. Hopefully, we can turn you both into a … War Machine. Your abilities in particular, Lie Ren, intrigue me."

Ren was a Stormcaller, a Warlock that controlled Arc Light. The major distinction between himself and other Stormcallers was that he did not cast lightning, but rather generated it. In the times when his Light was at its peak, a field of Arc Light expanding outward from him, obliterating everything within his path. If it did not disintegrate, it conducted his Light and pushed it that much further. So far, ten meters out was as far as he could generate for a length of time, though he could expand it through great effort. Given his affinity for melee combat, this field made him already fast and deadly style even more damage, as his foes were being electrocuted the whole time he was shooting or stabbing them. The addition benefit was that Nora got a charge off of him, boosting her own strength and speed with the help of her Semblance.

"Yeah, Ren's the best!" Nora crowed from a few feet away. Ren rolled his eyes as she leaned against her hammer. "He's pretty shocking, am I right?" A hand slapped across his face, and he realized it was his own with a pained groan.

"Nora, leave the puns to Yang."

"Today, we shall attempt to expand your field, and see if you can perfect your chains for manipulation." The Storm King ignored Nora's comment entirely. "It should also be considered if you can increase the potency of your Arc Light, and force your foes to pass... Through the Never." The man paced, never passing between Ren and Nora but rather walking along the pylons that collected the local electricity.

"Have no fear of causing damage to the facilities around us, as this capacitor room was built specifically to house wielders of Arc Light. Anything you cast off will be collected and used to power the Tower." He slapped one of the pylons for good measure, and the Arc energy that coated his arms jumped toward it in response. Good, that meant they would not hinder the Guardians in any way as they trained.

"Your opponent with be your partner. Since she is not only resistant, but empowered by Arc Light, she will make the perfect opponent for you to improve against. Just be certain that you do not... Fade to Black." The Storm King warned ominously. Ren nodded, suddenly understanding why so many people were unsettled by the Storm King. Still, he knew his stuff, and most Warlocks were at least a little-

"TRAINING BEGINS NOW!" The shout came from his left, and he barely turned before the hammer impacted with his face, sending him careening into the wall with a shower of sparks.

"You weren't ready, Ren~"

* * *

Jaune stood in the hangar, shuddering as he felt a slight vibration in the floor. The vibration he could understand, with multiple elevators transporting jump ships up and down through the Tower. The shudder, though, was involuntary. For some reason, he had a sudden pang of sympathy for Ren.

It was probably nothing.

He watched as another jump ship was carried past by the cranes, this one bound for a by meant for extra large ships. Of course it was, as the _Infinite Sky_ was one of the largest jump ships in operation. And if it was here, then so was Spirit.

Footsteps approached from behind him, metal boots clicking against a metal floor as he turned to face his partner. Pyrrha's personal armor as a Huntress was probably the closest to Guardian gear out of all of them, so she hadn't made many changes in the past six months. For Jaune, The armored greaves of the Knight class Titan armor still took some getting used to. He still had the armor that Horst had gifted him, but he didn't want to wear it until he had earned it. Still, Crocea Mors hung from his hip, and he made sure the thick chest piece did not affect his ability to draw the sword in any way. His Apple of Discord sat on his back, ready for action. Unless they were in vacuum, Jaune eschewed the use of a helmet, though sometimes he needed it for enhanced optics.

"There's no report of her on the Tower, and Hope's last transmission came from the city itself. Is she still not answering calls?" Pyrrha asked, grasping his hand almost on reflex now. Jaune smirked at the feeling of her hand in his, and took comfort in the fact that despite everything else, his partner had his back. And his front, if she was feeling possessive about something.

"Not at all. I know she said to leave her alone, but it will be the first time we're all together since we came here. Cardin and his team will be bringing Yang and Blake with them when they use the Gateway." Jaune explained, his eyes returning to the City before them. Down below, the last bastion of Humanity outside of Remnant hustled and bustled and did everything it could to survive. They had walked among the people of the City, and finally discovered why Horst had never taken any forays into Vale. Guardians were exalted well above the common man, it seemed, though that went both ways in some cases.

A great many people saw them as saviors, heroes, representatives of the god that hung over the City. The ones that disagreed, however, saw the Guardians as tyrants and bullies. In most cases, the latter were criminals or dissidents that had required more than City security could allow, and were faced with the awesome might of the nigh immortal Titans. Jaune had seen Huntsmen and Huntresses pass through Vale with many a wave and good word, but he had not been prepared for people to go completely out of their way to thank him and Pyrrha for their service. His partner was more used to it than he was, though obviously uncomfortable, and after three or four trips Jaune had decided to follow the rest of the Guardians' lead and stay in the Tower when they came to the City.

"I know she's still grieving over Professor Horst, but doesn't she know that we're here to help?" Pyrrha asked, stepping up to lean against him as the sun shone down on the City. It truly was a beautiful day, and made all the better by the woman on his shoulder.

"I think Spirit is the type to mourn in peace. She may feel that she would be an inconvenience, or that we wouldn't understand what she has lost." Jaune shrugged lightly. "Either way, if she is determined to be alone, then maybe we should respect her wishes. She'll come around when she is ready." They owed her that much at least.

"Still, I wish she could be there for us. Ruby said that Lord Shaxx commissioned some equipment for us, to celebrate our team." Pyrrha said quietly. Jaune reached across himself and grasped her arm with his free hand, and together they turned away from the vista.

"I didn't know he was making stuff for us. What is it?" Jaune asked as they walked back into the Tower proper, passing mechanics and Guardians on their way to their ships. Pyrrha giggled at his interest, but shook her head.

"It's a secret, apparently. The Speaker asked that, as the Guardian representative on Remnant, Shaxx be the one to offer us something. According to Ruby, it's going to be 'really freaking cool'." Pyrrha supplied finger quotes with one hand, since the other was entangled with Jaune's.

"Yeah, that sounds like Crater Face." Jaune laughed, stepping closer to Pyrrha as they squeezed through a fireteam of Hunters. Out of all of them, Ruby had taken to being a Guardian the most, and she was always eager to celebrate getting the team together.

"Has Holiday said anything about procuring a ship?" Pyrrha changed the topic, and Jaune groaned in response.

"Oh, she said something alright. Something along the lines of, 'if I gave a ship to every new Guardian that asked, I'd be up to my tool kits in damages and scrap heaps' and then she told me to ask Zavala." Jaune imitated Holiday's Texan accent, and the result only made Pyrrha laugh once more. The Shipwright wasn't wrong, though it would make things difficult traveling the Solar System if they didn't have a ship. They had gotten a lift from Ruby and other Guardians during their missions, but things would go more smoothly for JNPR as a whole if they could get a ship for their own.

"Didn't Horst say he won his from the House of Judgment?" Pyrrha supplied, and Jaune thought about it. Come to think of it, Horst had won his in a game from Variks, a Fallen scribe for the House of Judgment that had lived in the Reef for some time. Until recently, he had mocked all Fallen Houses that did not swear loyalty to the Awoken Queen. Two things had happened to change that.

The Awoken had been wiped out, with their Queen dead or missing. And the House of Giants had arrived in the Solar System. For the first time since anyone could remember, Variks the Loyal had acknowledged the strength and standing of a Fallen House. Oh, he had kept tabs on all the Fallen within the system. Legitimate or not, the Eliksni needed to be watched closely. But Variks had publicly claimed House Giants as a regal House, one that was not stained by piracy and lawlessness. The other Houses had bristled at such a declaration, but so far nothing had come of it, good or bad. The Vanguard were waiting to let the Giants make the first move.

"He did, but I don't think we need to get anywhere near the Reef right now. That, and I suck at card games." Pyrrha nodded, and looked up when they walked into the bazaar across from the Speaker's observatory. In the bazaar, groups of people walked by, talking loudly over then din and walking past merchants that peddled their wares. A wide spiraling staircase descended deeper into the Tower, and three floors down was the meeting room where Ruby had agreed to meet everyone. She had Weiss in tow, and the others would be coming from Remnant. Ren and Nora were on the Tower somewhere, and they knew where to meet.

After navigating the bazaar, a slightly secluded hallway held a simple gray sliding door, with a small console next to it inlaid in the wall. The electronic display simply showed the word 'reserved' in block red letters, but the door slid open when Jaune and Pyrrha approached. Guardian technology, man. Inside, a spacious room surrounded a black wooden conference table, and fourteen comfortable leather chairs were arranged around it, with one at each end and six along each side. Since they were the first to arrive, that meant the side closest to the door belonged to Team JNPR. Jaune and Pyrrha pulled out their chairs and sat, knowing full well that the others would be half an hour or more.

"I've been hearing some nasty things out on Mars." Pyrrha said worriedly. "Apparently, there's talk of a Guardian going around murdering other Guardians. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but they are saying that he acts like the Taken." Jaune winced as she said it, but he knew where she was going with this. None of them had really talked about it, when Horst had died. He'd seemed so indestructible, so permanent and powerful, that the thought of him defeated was absurd. Now, not only was their teacher Taken, but Oryx was using him to murder other Guardians. It made Jaune sick to his stomach.

"We'll make it right, Pyr. It's all we can do. Somehow, we'll make it right." Jaune grabbed her hand and gave her a comforting squeeze, and she returned it with a grateful smile. They sat there and talked for some time, going over the Vanguard's policies on Remnant, Atlas in particular, and time flew by. Before they knew it, the door slid open again, revealing a beleaguered Ren and an even more peppy than usual Nora. Ren staggered to the seat across from Jaune, collapsing into it more than sitting. As the leather compressed to take his slight frame, Ren couldn't help the groan that escaped him. Jaune felt a pang of sympathy for his teammate as Nora sat opposite of Pyrrha, setting Magnhild down at her feet.

"Hey guys!" She greeted, though Ren barely found the strength to wave from his chair. "Me and Ren were training to use our Light. It was so much fun! Wasn't it, Ren?" Her partner merely groaned in response, and Nora giggled at him. "Aw, he's tired."

Pyrrha smiled at their exhausted teammate as well. "Goodness, Nora. What did you do to him?" Nora smiled brightly and leaned forward.

"The Storm King told me we needed to work on Ren's endurance, so I held him down and drained him dry over and over again! He tried to escape, but he couldn't get out from under me!" Nora declared, causing Jaune to cough awkwardly. Beside him, Pyrrha's face made a very good attempt to match her hair, and Ren finally made the effort to speak.

"My Light, Nora. You drained me of my Light." The hammer wielder snorted and laughed as his hand fell once more.

"Well duh! What else could I have meant?" Neither Pyrrha nor Jaune could look her in the eye as she looked at them expectantly, and Ren just groaned again. Poor guy. In a desperate attempt to keep the conversation innocent, Jaune leaned forward.

"S-so, that was you guys that made the lights flicker a few minutes ago?" Jaune asked shakily, refusing to let the image in his head affect him.

"Yep! I kept absorbing Ren's energy when we were fighting, so every now and then I had to push it back into the power grid. Man, that was a rush!" Nora rolled her eyes and shivered, remembering the sensation. "I think we shook the Tower when I got really into it!" Damn it, Nora. Pyrrha's blush blazed like wild fire, and Jaune could feel heat creeping up his own face as well. That explanation did not help things!

The door slid open again, and Jaune took full advantage of the new arrival.

"Oh look, someone else is here!" Jaune proclaimed obviously, leaving it to a surprised Ruby and Weiss to change the conversation. Unfortunately, Ruby appeared on edge, as she jumped out of her skin as soon as Jaune pointed in her direction.

"WHERE? WHERE IS IT? I SWEAR IT'S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!" The reaper screamed in desperation, wide eyes looking around at the floor and under the table for some reason. Beside her, Weiss simply scoffed and walked past her partner, taking a seat beside Pyrrha with her usual grace.

"She's been having a nervous breakdown ever since we got back from Neptune. I keep asking her what the deal is, but she won't tell me." The Schnee heiress offered by way of explanation. Team JNPR's attention shifted in its entirety back to Ruby, who finally realized that she was making a seen. The leader of Team RWBY smiled sheepishly and laughed, before using her Semblance to join Weiss at the table. Weiss threw her teammate an irritated glare, before sighing and leaning back into the chair, her posture the perfect image of elegance.

"So, what you guys done today?" She asked conversationally. Jaune chanced a look toward Nora and saw her ready to make awkward declarations all over again, so he decided to head it off on his own.

"Pyrrha and I have been trying to find another ship, so we can take missions without having to bum rides off of other Guardians. So far though, no one is feeling very generous." Pyrrha nodded in agreement and added her two lien as well.

"We've still got some Glimmer left over from what Professor Horst gave us, but its not enough to buy a jump ship. What's more, it's cost us more than we've been making just to stay at the Tower." Ruby and Weiss both nodded in understanding. Killing Fallen and Hive out in the Cosmodrome and the European Dead Zone earned Glimmer easily and quickly, but the costs of living on the Tower were equally high. Beacon had taught economics and realty for a few classes, but it was still something of a culture shock to pay rent on a planet you didn't know existed until a few months ago.

"Me and Ren were going a few rounds downstairs. He tried to fight me off, but I sucked him dry!" Nora proudly proclaimed, and Weiss joined Jaune and Pyrrha in imitating a tomato. Ruby, however, scratched her chin thoughtfully.

"Oh yeah, you do absorb electricity with your Semblance, huh? I guess Ren is like a walking battery for you." Weiss turned to say something about oblivious dolts, but one look at Ruby's innocent face made her think better of it.

"Nora, stop that. You're messing with them on purpose." Ren admonished, earning a guilty little chuckle as the valkyrie shrugged her shoulders. Jaune, Weiss, and Pyrrha glared at the hammer wielder.

"Sorry~"

Almost twenty minutes later, Team CRDL, Blake, and Yang finally managed to show up as well. Cardin and his guys all wore Knight style Titan armor like Jaune, except for Russell. Thrush wore the lighter armor and brown wrap around scarf of a Hunter. Cardin's mace hung at his hip as always, but a Hakke shotgun sat on his back as well. Dove seemed to have grabbed a Suros sniper rifle, since it dangled from his back on a sling instead of using the mag lock. If Sky and Russell had any new Guardian weapons, they weren't wearing them.

"Hey guys, how's it going?" Jaune greeted. He offered a fist to Team CRDL, and to the surprise of many every one of them met it with their own. Cardin answered for them as they filed in to the other side of the room, Cardin and Russell sitting on the same side as Ruby and Weiss.

"Getting Vale to cooperate with the Guardians has been a royal pain. Even though Beacon would be a pile of rubble without us, they still like to gripe and moan. And don't even get me started on the Faunus." Ruby opened her mouth to argue, but Weiss' hand stopped her. "The White Fang did most of the damage, but people are going after the Faunus like they're a part of it. Huntsman or not! We broke up three fights at city hall just because one guy didn't like that Scarletina was walking by, minding her own business." Cardin continued to complain, shutting up anything the others might've said. Blake just smirked as she settled into the seat next to Nora, which put Yang in the seat next to Dove and Sky. To hear Cardin, a confirmed racist, complaining about people threatening the very person he had bullied not long ago was a welcome thing indeed.

"Well, I guess it could be worse. We found a White Fang encampment that was killing travelers leaving Vale." Yang said with a huff. "Blake got most of them to come with us, but there were a few that wouldn't leave." Weiss whistled appreciatively at that, though Blake's flat expression indicated she was not happy with how it had gone.

"You got some to defect? That's impressive. Most of the ones in the organization now are the zealots we were worried about in the first place." Blake nodded in thanks, but her half grin didn't reach her eyes.

"I still wish I could have saved more. The Vale Council is putting more pressure on Lord Shaxx, so anyone that actively resists and does not surrender is killed. It'll make our job harder in rehabilitating the guys that we've capture, not mention the Faunus that aren't affiliated." Blake's somber expression lifted slightly when Yang patted her on the shoulder.

"We're working hard on it either way. Velvet and Coco said that quite a few of the guys we captured are helping out now. It won't happen all at once, but we're doing good out there."

Ruby stood up from her chair before any other conversations could spark up. She looked over at the empty chair next to Jaune, then to Jaune himself. The Titan frowned and shook his head, answering the unspoken question. Spirit wasn't coming. Nodding sadly, Ruby took a deep breath and then looked around the table.

"Friends, comrades... Weiss."

"Hey!" The Schnee's indignant cry caused Cardin and Nora to snort in amusement.

"I know it feels like it was so long ago, but it's only been a year since we met Professor Horst. He didn't make fun of us or talk down to us, but he did his best to teach us what we needed to be Huntsmen and Huntresses. I know we didn't all get along at first," Her eyes went to Cardin, who returned her gaze without shame, "but we're sitting here today because we're a team. And as a team, we've done more for Vale, for Remnant, than we could have ever dreamed of."

With a wave of her hand, Ruby had Summer transmat a glass in front of each person seated at the table. Jaune and Pyrrha had a dark, almost black beverage. Weiss' bubbled and was a soft yellow in color. Cardin and his team had a substance that looked similar to water. Ren and Blake had a clear liquid in a much smaller cup, while Yang and Nora had large steins full of an amber liquid frothing at the top. In front of the empty chairs, a glass of bourbon each. In front of Ruby herself, a tall glass of milk.

"We're the first Guardians to come from Remnant in FOREVER! All of us, we made history! We beat the Taken King, we killed his champion, we made a sunken city float! I mean, how cool is that?!" Ruby paused, then looked down at her glass of milk. She picked it up somberly, and stared into the liquid within.

"Professor Horst brought us all together, and it's thanks to him that we made it as far as we did. Him and Spirit both. But now, it's up to us to pick up where they left off. Horst wasn't just killed, he...he was Taken. Which means we might have to stop him from hurting anyone else. And there are still so many other things out there we need to fight. Cinder, the Cabal, the Fallen. It's a big job." Ruby looked around and grinned, an expression she found on the faces of everyone around her. "But there's no one else that can do it like we can. We're not just Guardians. We're not just Huntsmen and Huntresses. We, are Beacons." When she said that, twelve cascades of Light appeared, one in front of each Guardian. For Russell, a scarf. For Blake, Dove, Yang, and Pyrrha, a bandanna. For Ruby and Cardin, cloaks. For Sky and Nora, Titan marks. And for Weiss and Ren, Warlock bonds. Different garments and ornaments for different people, but all bearing the same symbol: a green tower on white, with the image of the _Iron Symphony_ streaking above it. Ruby and Shaxx had worked on the design in secret, as a surprise for the team. Everyone except for Ruby reached forward and grabbed their respective gifts, turning them over and examining them with wonder.

"We are something to follow. We were meant to be a light in the dark, and we have a home to defend. Officially, the Vanguard recognizes us as the Beacons of Remnant. We've been recorded in history as the first Guardians of Remnant. Like the Six Coyotes, we're considered pathfinders. Remnant will follow us into the future, and it's our job to protect our home."

Ruby raised her glass of milk, prompting the others to stand and raise their glasses as well. They all looked proud, glad to be where they were. They had earned this, even Team CRDL had put in the effort to become Guardians. It was everything they had set out to become when they had joined Beacon, but now they were more than that.

"To Professor Horst, and the job he gave us. Because we're gonna be the ones to finish it!" Ruby crowed.

"CHEERS!" With that, they all knocked back their drinks, those with beer taking long pulls. When they finished, everyone whooped and yelled, turning Ruby crimson as she sat back down. It wasn't her first speech, but it was the first one she had given as a toast. Also, thankfully, this one had not ended in a food fight. The reaper allowed herself a small smile, though it waned as she looked down to her left, where Horst's empty chair sat. And the glass of bourbon that would remain untouched. He would have been proud of their little get together, of that she was certain. It should have been him making the speech, not her. Apparently, though, her normal knees weren't going to be much of a factor after this. A clinking glass caught her attention, and Ruby looked to her right, where Spirit's glass sat. And she froze.

There, with its head sunk in the glass, was a small, scaled creature. It had four legs that ended in claws, thick scales that looked like it belonged in the desert, and two wings that were folded neatly on its back. A beaked lip was submerged in Spirit's bourbon, and two tiny cheeks puffed out as the creature drank the alcohol greedily. A long, salamander like tail wrapped around the glass. Tufts of feathers created a collar around its neck, and its scales were white in color. The tiny creature was the size of a small chicken, standing maybe two feet tall on all fours. After the glass was drained completely, the little guy pulled its head out and hiccuped, before turned large yellow eyes towards her. Slit pupils gazed at her, foreboding even as the creature tilted its head innocently.

Yang looked over at her sister and noticed her stricken expression, then followed her gaze to see the baby Ahamkara in all its tiny glory. She too froze, but unlike Ruby, Yang was not the type to remain petrified.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!"

After that, the room descended into pandemonium.

After an interesting confession from Ruby about her exploits on Titan, the creature had disappeared once more. The Beacons of Remnant all agreed that until they knew more about the creature, they wouldn't say anything to the other Guardians about it. There were far too many Ahamkara pieces of armor to watch Ruby's new pet get turned into a pair of pants. Not willing to let something like that spoil the fun, the Beacons of Remnant had topped off their drinks and enjoyed themselves, though Ruby promised that she would locate the Ahamkara before they left the Tower. Jokes were told, laughs were heard, and there were even a few arm wrestling matches. Afterward, the only thing left behind in the room was a single glass of bourbon, in front of the chair furthest from the door. All the other glasses had been collected, any spills cleaned up.

The glass sat, undisturbed, in the dark room.

An ethereal hand, born of faint white light, appeared over the glass. It reached forward, slowly, lazily, until the hand stopped. It spasmed, jerked aside as if it had been burned. The room shook slightly as cold flames burst up around the hand, and a distant scream was heard as the hand disappeared entirely, leaving behind no trace that it had been there.

* * *

 **Told you it would be before Halloween. We're back, baby.**


	2. Chapter 2

Oh yeah, we're moving along just fine. Merry Christmas to all. To those that reviewed about my other stories that were deleted, RELAX. I put them on hiatus until I finish this series (or sooner, who knows), and smart asses reviewing about how I let the story die were becoming _spiritually taxing_. My Naruto/Gears of War crossover is not dead, but the canon for both sides have changed since I first wrote it. I mean come on, Naruto jumped shark even for a fucking anime. Chill out, it will be back.

On a more related note, this story is being posted as of the beginning of Vol. 6. We've already gone off reservation with the Belladonnas, though thankfully I was able to at least get the correct names. We're set on our path, and I'm not scrapping it unless RWBY takes a major turn. If that happens...well, we'll burn that bridge when we come to it. This chapter is a little shorter, but it's building up to a showdown.

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

* * *

 _Atlas, Remnant..._

There were few things that could genuinely anger General James Ironwood. He was pissed off by a great many things, as befitting someone with such high expectations for himself and his subordinates. But to actually infuriate him? That took some doing. Spill coffee on him? Not happy about it, but an annoyance at best. Cut him off in traffic? Irritating but ultimately not life threatening. Take over his dead friend's school and then call him up like nothing happened?

That made him angry.

" _I understand your frustration, General. In your position I would feel exactly as you do."_ The so called 'Lord Shaxx' stated, an image of his helm visible on Ironwood's screen. The CCTS was still reeling from the destruction of the tower in Vale, and so far the only means of long distance communication resided in the residual network Atlas could maintain and the Guardians' mysteriously advanced technology.

Another reason for his ire.

"I'm so glad that you understand, Lord Shaxx. Then you must also understand why I must demand your immediate surrender and departure from Vale." Ironwood snarled, reaching for his coffee. He rubbed his face, noting the stubble that was growing there. Hadn't he shaved when he'd woken up? Of course, when had he last slept in his own bed? Those questions were worrying in the regard that he couldn't quite recall their answers.

 _"I'm reaching out to you because we are both victims of this tragedy. Only by working together can we defeat the foes arrayed before us. I know you don't trust us, but please, give me a chance to show that you can."_ Shaxx's words were earnest, to be sure, but the fact remained; he was sitting in Ozpin's chair.

"Like Oz trusted you? Like he trusted Horst? The reason we're in the absolute shit storm we are in is because Ozpin chose to trust in aliens before he trusted me! And look where that got him! Dead and buried beneath his own school while a pretender sits in his seat." It should not have been so personal, but it was. Oz had been a dear friend, Glynda still was. But the fact of the matter was that the Guardians' enemies had laid them low, not Remnant's. As far as he was concerned, they could leave the planet and fix most of the problems.

 _"In case you have forgotten, my student fought and died to protect Beacon from a threat that has swallowed entire civilizations. And yet, here I stand, in Beacon. All it cost me was a pupil I had come to love like a son."_ Shaxx's image did not change due to the call quality, but James could hear the grief in the man's voice. _"Were it up to me, we could settle this dispute like men. The two of us in the ring, no holds barred until the problem is resolved. But as leaders, that avenue is lost to us, is it not?"_

"It would certainly be cathartic, but yes. No matter how much it would satisfy me personally, I must still think of Atlas, and Remnant at large. I'm sure you are well aware, but the last images broadcasted from the CCT were of Atlesian forces attacking Guardians and civilians. Even though Guardian Arc's message got through, the Councilor of State is building a guillotine for me out of all the political fallout. To suddenly side with those suspected to have caused the attack would put the nail in my coffin." Professionally, anyway. As it stood, the citizens of Atlas weren't quite calling for his head just yet. According to Winter's reluctant admissions and the daily news, however, that was subject to change.

 _"So, what you're saying is that politically you would lose what power you have unless we shift public opinion."_ It was as much a statement of fact as directed at Ironwood. _"Regardless of our own personal feelings, the public would not allow for any kind of aid from Atlas until we got on more stable relationship. For what it is worth, and I realize that it might not be much, I am sorry for what happened. Truly, I am. I taught Horst many things, but I wish that I had taught him how to call for help. If we had been here six months ago, Oryx would not have enjoyed what success he has."_

"True." Ironwood allowed. "It's also possible that we would have been at war anyway, and much earlier. Oryx might have found a barren planet."

 _"We are in agreement there. But it is my duty to ensure that he does not leave it in such a manner. Good day to you, General. May the next time we speak be under better circumstances."_

"Yeah. Let's hope." The link winked out before Ironwood's poor mood could push some sarcastic remark out, and for that he was grateful. Despite the fact that his country had declared war on Earth – and apparently, Vale by proxy – Ironwood still tried to hammer out some kind of agreement. He had been willing to meet with Spirit and Horst the night of the dance, and were he able he would cast away the whole war in hopes of defending Remnant. But the loss of Ozpin and Beacon, not to mention the countless deaths brought on by the Taken had put pain to any thought of swift resolution.

Speaking of the Taken, Ironwood dismissed his communications program and pulled up some reports and statistics from Atlas' military servers. According to several after action reports, the Taken were proving to be just as troublesome a foe as the Grimm, with some marked differences. The Taken were capable of limited strategic and tactical planning, but without a Champion, their usual plan of action was to rush their targets with savagery. Only a few Champions had been spotted, and all had been wiped out by what Winter had called 'judicious use of force'. The eldest Schnee had taken great pains in striking down the Taken, sometimes with even more fervor than the White Fang, the organization that threatened her family personally. Whether or not this was because Weiss Schnee was now a Guardian and considered an enemy of the state, Ironwood could not say and would not ask.

The absence of Champions weakened the Taken immensely, which made James wonder why such influential figures were in such short supply. Under threat from the Guardians, Oryx had moved his ship off deep into space, further than Atlesian technology could track. If that meant anything compared to Guardian technology, he didn't care to ask. So far, the Taken had made grave tactical errors in all encounters, focusing on ferocity and ignoring self-preservation. It was as if they craved death.

A knock at the door to his office attracted James' attention, and he took a moment to collect himself. When he was confident he presented the image he needed, he called for the visitor to enter. The door opened quickly, and Winter Schnee stepped in with a click of her heels. She closed the door behind her promptly, and then saluted.

"Sir, reporting as ordered." She said crisply. Ironwood returned the salute, and gestured toward the seat in front of him. Six months ago, Winter Schnee would have graciously declined. Six months ago, she would have stood out of principle, and reported her findings and nothing else. Six months ago she would have given her report in perfect form.

This was not six months ago.

Instead, Winter all but collapsed into the chair opposite of Ironwood, taking care to retain the grace and posture of both a Specialist and a Schnee. Still, it did not take the years that Ironwood had known her to see that Winter was exhausted.

"Well, how did it go?" He prompted, and seeing the normally stoic Winter Schnee heave a sigh of exasperation brought a smile to his face.

"Poorly. Unfortunately, the White Fang has scattered to the four winds. All of our usual contacts are either missing or dead, and there's nothing to indicate further agents could be recruited. There were three separate bases of operation that we planned on attacking, but by the time we arrived every one of them had been cleared out. There's no sign of where they could have gone to."

"Hmm." Ironwood leaned back, a satisfied smirk on his face. "It seems our efforts are having some effect then." Winter's eyes cut away from his, and the General stilled.

"Actually, sir, I don't think this was us."

"Pardon?" His brow nearly reached the metal plate on his forehead.

"There were signs of infighting in the White Fang bases. Bullet holes in rooms far too deep to be from attackers. Blood stains on the walls in rooms we had not entered. What prisoners we did take were wounded, and not by Atlas personnel." Her shoulders rose in an honest shrug. "Whatever happened, the White Fang appear to have fractured. The reason we can't seem to find them is because the organization has partially dissolved. One of the Specialists discovered a scroll that had been left behind. Judging by the blood stains, it was in the room where the fighting had been the heaviest." Winter set a picture of a scroll down on the desk, a standard model with the only notable difference to the one that Ironwood himself used was a streak of blood along the white casing. He nodded, showing that he had indeed seen it, and she placed the picture back into her pocket.

"I assume we've broken into the device by now?" It was nearly rhetorical – Winter was nothing if not thorough – but she nodded anyway.

"Our technicians had it open twenty minutes ago. They are summarizing the contents." Winter gave an uncharacteristic huff. "Perhaps it will lend an answer that eluded me otherwise." Ah, the Schnee pride. Such a fragile thing, he had come to discover. Winter had hit her own stride within the military, but her upbringing still shone through from time to time. Usually when she did not meet her own expectations.

"And it wouldn't be here were it not for your careful investigation." Ironwood reminded her. The elder Schnee sister did not respond, but she did sit a little straighter in her chair. "Is there anything else you noted?"

"Just more of the strange substance the Guardians refer to as Blight." Another photograph hit his desk, though this one was far less mundane than a picture of a scroll. The operative that had taken the picture had understandably put a bit more distance between himself and the strange three dimensional goo that the Taken left behind. To find it within a stronghold of the White Fang was disconcerting, to say the least. On top of the possible fracturing of the White Fang, the likely fact that the Taken were involved put a whole new spin on things. The Kingdom of Vale had done its best to release a missive comprised of basic information on the Taken. Since the source material came from Earth, however, the Atlesian Council had been quick to dispute and refuse the information, citing misinformation and a plot to spread panic within Atlas' borders.

Sometimes, you were allowed to be ashamed of your country.

Ironwood's feelings toward the Guardians were... complicated. Unlike the Vale Council, he could not say that he had not been warned about the Taken and their King. Horst had been as honest as James himself would have been, should the situations have been reversed. He could, however, denounce them for raising a research facility from the depths of the ocean and use it as a staging area...right off the edge of his Kingdom. On top of that, Oryx and his forces had announced on multiple occasions that they were hunting Guardians specifically. While he was not foolish enough to believe that the Taken King would just ignore Remnant without the Guardians, it stood to reason that Horst and Spirit had brought this war upon them, willingly or not. It was a difficult thing to sort through, especially now that the Council had declared war on Earth, and Vale was considered occupied territory.

"Please tell me no one touched it, at least." Ironwood groaned, and Winter shook her head thankfully.

"After what reportedly happened to Titan Horst, our technicians won't get near it. I don't think protective gear exists that can protect someone from... that." Ah, yes. Titan Horst. The man who gave everything for his students, took down the largest Grimm to ever be seen in Vale, and had been captured by the enemy. Lord Shaxx had been solemn when he explained what had happened, while diplomatic relations between their two Kingdoms had torn apart. If the large man was to be believed, Horst's very soul had been captured, and his corrupted body would be used to slaughter all of Oryx's enemies. It was not a fate he had deserved, regardless of how the General felt about his actions.

"Make sure we don't lose anyone to that nasty material. I don't want to explain -" Before Ironwood could finish his statement, his console beeped loudly. A message had been sent to his terminal, tagged top priority. With a few touches, his screen displayed an image of a hand written, blood stained note. Squinting to read the words, Ironwood mumbled what he could read aloud.

"...Taurus has gone too far... as good as admitted it... killed Ghira and Kali... bombs were a set up... Leonberger." His eyes skimmed a few more passages, but the image was grainy. "Is this the report from the captured scroll?"

Peering through the holographic display, Winter could only shrug. "I instructed the techs to forward their findings as soon as they finished." Ironwood moved the images out of the way and opened a web browser. Why did the names Ghira and Kali sound so familiar? Like an article he had read, a while ago. With Leonberger's name, it was obviously tied to the White Fang. A few taps later, and the General's eyes widened.

 _Ghira Belladonna killed by explosion at White Fang protest._

The event that had truly sparked the violent descent into madness for the White Fang. According to the page that had been passed around, Adam Taurus had orchestrated the entire thing. He pulled up the image again and checked the message info, detailing when it was received and the number it had come from. One of the technicians had been helpful enough to list the identity of the person that owned the sender scroll. Blake Belladonna. A Beacon student that had been recruited into the Guardians. The content of the message was as surprising as the one who had spread it. The White Fang had been moving steadily toward violence, but Leonberger and the Belladonnas had been stubborn opponents to bloody action. The perpetrator had never been caught, but like the White Fang, Ironwood had assumed that those responsible had been human. Not only was Blake getting back her own, but she couldn't have known the truth until recently. _Talk about bad blood. I'd be amazed if she wasn't after Taurus' head._

"Well, that explains the schism in the White Fang. It looks like inner politics finally came up." Ironwood stated with mild surprise. Still, for a Faunus trying to make a difference in the world, to hear that their leader had assassinated the Chieftain of Menagerie and his wife? That definitely would be reason enough to start a fight. So, the infighting was explained, but what about the Blight?

Winter was perusing the files on her scroll as well, given her clearance as a Specialist. While he had looked through the White Fang angle, Winter was focused on another image.

"I think we answered the Taken question too, sir." She said gravely, and highlighted the image for Ironwood to display. He did so, and they both stared.

The picture was grainy and somewhat blurred, likely taken from a video. The person in mid swing, cleaving the hand off of a deer Faunus, was Titan Horst. And yet...it wasn't. His armor was bathed in the same strange flames and energy as the rest of the Taken, a fluctuating field of black and green that made it look like you were gazing into the depths of outer space. Where normally a spiral of light sat on the face of the Taken, Horst instead bore three glowing ethereal eyes. The eyes of Oryx himself.

"Winter..." Ironwood began slowly. "When did you last speak to your sister?"

* * *

 _The Buried City, Mars..._

His fingers curled into a fist as the last Cabal was sucked into the Ascendant Realm. It brought him such pride – _horror –_ to induct so many into Oryx's ranks at once. Mars was crawling with the unenlightened, be it Cabal, Vex, or even – _RUN AWAY –_ Guardian. He had failed to Take another Guardian as he had been Taken, but it was only a matter of time until he could show them all the glory of Oryx.

Once, Horst had been a part of the lie. That the Light was meant to spread, to prosper in the universe. But now, with his eyes opened – _heresy –_ he could see that the Darkness would swallow all. The sand at his feet, the metal fortifications, even the warriors that had constructed them; all would belong to Oryx.

Even as he adhered to the will of his lord and master, Horst's hand spasm and a massive twitch jerked his head to the side – _I BOW TO NO KING –_ as the glorious Blight continued to feed him with energy. The gift perpetuated wherever he tread, leaving behind small clusters of Blight, tiny little windows that granted glimpses into the Ascendant Realm. Truly beautiful – _I'm so sorry, Spirit –_ to those that could see. Horst looked around, his helm granting him sight beyond sight as he gazed across the universe as a normal man would glance across the desert. The forces on Remnant were growing steadily, though frustratingly enough the humans were resisting the Blight and its Champions. The newborn Guardians were of particular nuisance – _That's something to be proud of, monster –_ to the spread of the Blight. He would have to take a more...direct approach. Perhaps if more were Taken, the others would fall in line.

The Blight whispered of powerful Guardians of all colors, but it was a crimson cloak that came to mind. The cornerstone to Remnant's Guardians, aside from his former teacher. She would give up her will as he had, and welcome the will of Oryx. _YOU WILL NOT TOUCH HER!_ Another massive twitch rocked his frame, and the Titan looked down at his hand once more. Bathed in Blight and his glorious master's will, the body still twitched and shifted against his will. This was what he wanted, regardless of his former beliefs. It was the will of Oryx.

They would all see. He'd make them understand. He'd done it before, after all. And Ruby Rose would be the first to join him.

As his form shimmered and shifted, Horst passed into the Ascendant Realm once more, with nothing more than a distant scream of rage ringing in his ears.

* * *

 _Ishtar Academy, Venus..._

"Weiss, Atlantis control is attempting to forward a message from your scroll." Flake advised from his place at Weiss' shoulder. Rather than answer, the Cryomancer continued to delicately pull on the Vex chassis, doing her best to dislodge the biological memory core before its life support failed entirely. According to Guardian records, Vex foot soldiers used organic processors, as nothing had been discovered that outran a living brain in terms of processing power. It said horrible things about those that had been captured or lost in Vex territory, but that wasn't exactly something Weiss had control over. The organic brain, seated in a green glowing capsule within the abdomen of a Vex Goblin, shifted within the goo it floated in as she steadily removed the brackets that held it still. Obviously with such a fragile brain, the Vex had multiple redundancies in place to protect their organic cores, including armor around the memory units and life support packs in case the unit lost power.

"Put it together for me, but if it's not urgent then just send the message to the _Iron Symphony_. We don't need any distractions out here." Without waiting for reply, she looked up from her work and scanned the area for her partner.

The Ishtar Academy, collapsed and crumbling as it was, sat on the shores of a massive sulfuric lake. The murky brown depths of the lake were deadly to humans and Awoken, and highly corrosive to the Exos. The Academy, however, still bore hidden troves of knowledge. The Vex patrolled Venus with a single-minded drive, guarding their precious Vault of Glass even though Aetheon had been killed years ago. The Fallen picked over Ishtar's corpse like the scavengers they were, scrabbling and crawling into every nook and cranny in search of precious loot or information.

Weiss and Ruby, however, were there for the Vex. And also because Ruby had never seen an acid lake before. While the Cryomancer dirtied her robes digging into one ruined Vex chassis after another, Ruby was looking for things to dip in the caustic waters. Since almost everything on the planet was used to acid rain and the like, she had resorted to tossing Fallen scraps of cloth into the lake and watching them break down.

"Ooooh." Ruby cooed as another cloak unraveled in a bubbling mess, making certain to watch her footing lest she follow the garment into the burning water. Up the hill a ways, Weiss finally waved down at her, grease and oil covering her gloved hands.

"Ruby, I finished up here!" Weiss called insistently. "If I can get a few more intact bodies, I may have enough to synthesis a working time piece. We need to keep moving into the Academy." Weiss watched her partner cast one last glance toward the admittedly interesting lake of acid, then jumped up into the air. Without the aid of her Semblance, Ruby still cleared fifteen feet easily, and then she jumped again in mid air using the double jump ability normally afforded to Hunters. From her studies, Weiss deduced that it was less a second step and more a concerted push of Light from the bottoms of the feet that gave Ruby the appearance of jumping on thin air. When the second jump propelled her even higher in the air, her Semblance kicked in and she flew the rest of the way to Weiss in a spinning flurry of Rose petals, depositing herself right next to the Cryomancer on the edge of the cliff. Weiss waved a hand in front of her face to clear a few stray petals, and together the two walked past the rotting husks of a few ancient cars and into the Academy proper.

The old entrance was useless, as seismic activity below the complex had pulled the floor out from under it. Instead, a crude tunnel had been dug around the entrance, leading down and to the left. Ancient stone columns had fallen into the hallway as well, but the more interesting characteristic was the glowing veins of minerals beneath the ground. Several cracks in the impromptu tunnel allowed strips of blue fire to appear, though the flames were neither hot nor tall. Whatever chemical burned so slowly with such a strange color, Weiss did not know. It did not fail to impress her younger team leader, however.

"How many more did you need?" Ruby asked, as much to keep herself on track as it was honest curiosity. Weiss examined a few small pieces of machinery in her right hand, her left resting on Myrtenaster's hilt. They looked like pieces of clockwork to Ruby, and their use was impossible for the young reaper to discern.

"Not all Vex have these receivers, and whatever command they use to bounce around time is sent through these devices. If I can get enough of them together, Flake and I should be able to get into the network, at least. From there, we'll see how they can manipulate time." The Schnee shook herself as she contemplated the various possibilities. "When I saw how the world worked for the first time, I never knew which strands lead where, but now I'm closing in on the designs." Ruby just stared at Weiss for a few seconds, and the heiress noticed with a small blush.

"Sorry, Warlock talk. Don't mind me." Weiss apologized sheepishly, and Ruby just shrugged. According to Ren, the abilities afforded to Warlocks by the Traveler made them see some crazy weird stuff. Because he had already spent most of his teenage years meditating, Ren's exposure to the world around him was handled more eloquently than Weiss, who had been raised around confirmed facts and suppressed emotions. Still, with a little time to acclimate alongside her fellow Cryomancers, Weiss had learned to reign in her more 'out there' observations when around non-Warlocks. It didn't mean that things didn't slip out from time to time, though.

After mantling over a few collapsed columns, the two Guardians finally reached what could be considered the Academy. Emerging from a sunken floor that completely ignored the front door and antechamber, Weiss and Ruby found themselves in a mostly intact ancient library. With a balcony on either side of the room that stretched the entire hall, Weiss could only gasp in awe at the ancient trove of tomes. Despite the age of the Academy and presence of scavengers, quite a few books and records could be seen on the wooden shelves. The roof above was damaged, allowing a faint amount of light to filter in from outside. The vaulted ceilings looked to have been decorated with etchings or painting at some point, but the mossy growth that covered the floor had long since taken over the angled peak of the room.

Weiss stepped up into the room so that she was level with the floor, even as Ruby jumped up past her. Behind them, another balcony that was inaccessible from any stairs that Weiss could see. Not that Ruby really needed stairs. The red reaper vaulted over top the metal railing, eager to get a better line of sight on the far wall. When she did, however, Ruby's eyes widened.

"Uh, Weiss... how many more dead Vex did you say you needed?" She called, Crescent Rose extending into its scythe form even as she ducked to the side. Whatever answer Weiss had was cut off as a lance of Void Light pierced the air where Ruby had just stood. Without waiting for any further instruction, Weiss dove to the side of the room, where several walls provided enough cover that she could draw Myrtenaster. As she did, Weiss reached behind her head and moved her hair into the hood of her robes, pooling it around her neck. With the hood covering her head, another pass of her hand materialized a simple meshed metal mask that covered her mouth and nose. It was an old Lin Kuei tradition, and had been a gift from Master Liang. With her battle gear ready, Weiss peeked out from her cover.

Without exposing herself too much, the Cryomancer was able to see roughly ten Vex Goblins stomping forward with all the certainty that came with machines. The horned heads reminded Weiss of the old devil myths, though there was nothing in Remnant's mythos with single glowing red eyes and forked tails. In their metal hands, rifles capable of firing Solar Light were ready to punish the two Guardians for any mistakes they made. In the rear, towering armored Minotaurs stood ready to rain death in the form of their explosive shells. Though still bipedal, they looked like walking lumps of armor, their 'heads' hidden within the massive armored torsos that towered well over Weiss' height. They came in a mottled assortment of earthy browns and rust reds, though one of the Minotaurs was purple. Go figure.

"I've got you covered, Weiss!" Ruby called from the balcony above her. While Ruby had more than enough speed to run circles around the clunky Vex, their hive mentality would make it easy to hem her in. The same went for Weiss, but unlike Ruby, she was far more attuned to their new Guardian powers. Where Ruby could only embrace the double jump and proficiency with throwing knives, Weiss held the power of ice in her hands. And she was going to use it.

The sound of Crescent Rose splitting the head of a Vex Hobgoblin, the sniper variant of the Goblin, was her signal to move. As Ruby racked the bolt and sought new targets, the Vex reacted to their presence immediately. The Goblins let out a mechanical screech that grated on the ears, and the Minotaur stomped forward to meet Weiss with a speed that she did not expect from its heavy form. The larger unit steamrolled through the ranks even as the once peaceful library lit up with Solar rounds. Ruby fired as quickly as she could, using the medium sized partition on her balcony for cover. The Vex's concentrated fire, however, proved that she would not be able to stay for long. At Weiss' command, light blue glyphs appeared along the left and ride sides of the room, underneath the balconies laden with books. The Vex either did not understand the meaning of her constructs or did not care, for they marched forward regardless. As Weiss clenched her fist, she made sure they regretted it.

Before her ascension, Weiss would have needed an expensive amount of Dust to pull of a technique such as this. Now, though, she had command of the atoms themselves, and she encouraged them to cease movement in certain areas immediately. Water vapor shifted, even despite the odd mixtures native to Venus. One moment, seventeen Goblins and one Minotaur were charging towards the two Guardians. The next, every Vex platform found itself impaled upon spikes of ice. It did not kill them all, far from it. But it was far more difficult to kill Ruby and Weiss when every single machine had a frozen spear puncturing their armor. What it _did_ do was pin the Vex in place, leaving them wide open for Ruby to do her thing. The reaper jumped out from her withered cover, her Semblance in full force as Crescent Rose lashed out. Rose petals covered the massive library as Ruby made one, two, three laps around the hall. What Vex she did not reach on the first pass, the second and third gave her ample time to bring the Vex within reach of her scythe.

With a single exception. The Vex Minotaur had been skewered through one of its arms and a leg joint. Its free hand, however, still wielded its Torch Cannon. As Ruby pivoted for her next pass, she was forced to pause for a second, maybe two. It was enough. A distant hum filled the room.

The Minotaur fired, but it did not do so accurately. A difficult thing to do when a second column of ice rose up from beneath it. The interruption caused the Vex to fire harmlessly into the air, further damaging the roof on the far side of the library. The glacier that grew up out of the floor – courtesy of Weiss' glyph – pierced the Minotaur in fifty different locations, and the ice only grew upward. In a matter of seconds, the large Vex unit was either torn asunder or swallowed whole by the icy pillar. Ruby watched the ice slow to a stop and settle, letting out a low whistle of appreciation.

"Thanks for the save, Weiss!" The team leader called out. Her partner stepped out from behind a bookshelf, removing the mask she had worn with a wave of her hand.

"I can't just let you run around getting beat up by machines, can I?" The Cryomancer asked rhetorically. "What kind of partner does something like that?" Not her, at least. Weiss looked up at the massive pillar she had constructed on the fly, her hands clenching unconsciously. When she had first manifested her powers as a Cryomancer, her first act had been to hurt her friends. Cold, unfeeling, and uncaring of collateral damage. It was a very Schnee-like action, and the memory still brought up ugly bouts of shame and disgust. Still, a monument stood in testimony to her control, and she had used it to defend Ruby, not freeze her to the core.

Progress, not perfection. She would continue to improve.

"So..." Ruby hedged, snapping Weiss out of her thoughts. "We've got a whole lot of dead Vex and a bunch of ancient books. Looks like we've got everything we need, right?" Weiss nodded and returned Myrtenaster to her hip, hidden once again within her robes. Her research was nearing a breakthrough, she just needed to reconstruct the specific mechanism that the Vex used to tap into their time network, or at least Weiss assumed it was a network. All of the lore behind the Vex told of a massive collaboration of minds across both space and time, tied together by a few key units such as Aetheon and the Sol Progeny. Obviously, with many of their champions now dead, the Vex's control over their various facilities was at its weakest.

"If you want to help, I need a special component that's very close to their brains. I can show you on one of them, and it will make things much faster." Weiss offered, and Ruby seemed all to happy to go digging through mechanical parts. The organic brains, though...

"Can't we just have Flake and Summer deconstruct them? I feel like that would be easier, and a little less gross." Ruby shook her head, imagining a slimy, gooey brain brushing up her fingers if she ventured to far. Eww! Weiss gave a put upon sigh as she knelt in front of a Goblin she had decapitated with her ice spikes, her hands already working to remove the protective plate on its mostly intact chest piece.

"That is true, but I'll gain a better understanding of how it works if I do it myself. Flake can explain things to me, but I won't understand how the Vex's mechanics interact with my Warlock abilities unless I tear them apart myself." She winced when she realized how brutal that sounded. "Think of it this way; would you rather take a new weapon apart yourself, or have Summer do it?"

"Oh, I'd totally do it. Now I get it." Ruby nodded enthusiastically, even the thought of a new weapon enough to make her drool. Ever the gear head, even light years away from home. Come to think of it, it was startling how easily Ruby had fallen into the Guardian role. Blake and Yang made frequent trips back to Remnant, and Weiss had dealt with her own pangs of homesickness; but to Ruby, this was all just one grand adventure. It wasn't because she had nothing left back home, or that she was driven by something like revenge or justice. To the sixteen-year old reaper, this was the same thing she was signing up for with Beacon, just a little different. Weiss envied her certainty.

"Now stop gawking and get to work. If we manage this, I'll be able to manipulate time. Can you imagine how cool that would be?" That kind of power, in her hands...it was impossible to conceive all the things she could. There would doubtlessly be limitations of course, else the Vex would have already wiped out the human race. But instead of using her glyphs to increase her speed, she would be able to slow time around her, or speed up time around something else. Maybe even stop it completely? Oh, the things she would do.

"Weiss, I've finished piecing together the message from Atlantis control." Flake's posh accent came over the comm as he materialized, meaning he was telling Ruby as well. "It is not good news."

Ruby stood up from the Hobgoblin she had been shredding, picking up on the Ghost's uneasy tone. Weiss wiped her hands on her robes, noting idly that the mechanical lubricant and oils disappeared almost as soon as they stained them. She and Ruby both faced Flake, and he displayed a holographic image, taken from a scroll if she was correct. The image, however, caused them both to gasp in horror. The image of Horst beheading a White Fang grunt in his full Taken form was enough to send chills of terror and revulsion up Weiss' spine. Terror because of what he was doing, and revulsion to what he had become. He had sacrificed himself, body and soul, to save Ruby, and the result was this twisted and tormented creature in the screen.

"Ruby." Weiss looked to the left, and her partner was silent. Silver eyes were wide as she stared, unblinking, at the image of their first Guardian mentor. The reaper had been closer than all the other students to the Titan. To see him like this...

It was the worst fate she could imagine.

"Weiss, we need to get the team together." Ruby's voice was subdued, serious, and lacking the usual pep and cheer that she normally radiated. The heiress (maybe?) turned to face her team leader and found a determined frown upon her face.

"As soon as I finish gathering components." Weiss allowed, and Ruby nodded. Although, neither one complained when their Ghosts transmatted the entire Vex contingent within seconds.

* * *

 _Remnant, Salem's Tower..._

The Grimmlands were far from hospitable. Arid, devoid of clean water, and covered with strange glowing crystals that appeared to be a rather malignant form of Dust. An angry purple sky hung above it all, depressing the already dreary vista with a permanent overcast of sullen clouds. In no way was it a vacation paradise, but Cinder had once taken solace in the sight of the Grimmlands. It was a place where she was truly powerful, one of the few beings on Remnant worthy of living so close to the rightful Queen. Her very presence was proof of Cinder's power. She had _earned_ her place at Salem's side.

Looking out over the desolate landscape, the Fall Maiden felt none of her former assurance. The past few months had been a nightmare. Little to no sleep, her powers acting strangely, the injuries suffered from her fall from Beacon Tower.

The apparition that stood beside her had been the cause of her chronic insomnia. The Speaker stood beside her, though incorporeal and silent. There were days when he would not speak at all, and even some when he did not appear. Those were the days she enjoyed, when he would be the least intrusive. She could sleep when he was silent, but the anxiety of wondering when next he would encroach on her life made every rest weak and unfulfilling. And the worst of it all?

She hadn't told Salem.

That wasn't to say that her mistress had no idea what was going on. Cinder's random outbursts of anger and paranoia had been seen by Salem and her subordinates, but Emerald's timely explanation that the Maiden powers were acting up had shifted most of the suspicion from Cinder. Emerald's steadfast loyalty had protected her from Salem's wrath, but it had been a delaying tactic. As the Speaker unraveled her sanity one day at a time, it was inevitable that Salem would discover her deceit. The question of what she would do was academic: no matter the end result, Cinder would likely die at her mistress' hand. There may be numerous painful tortures to choose from, but every road lead to a shallow grave or a Grimm feeding pen.

The Speaker himself had made her endeavor easier, though she doubted it was for her own good. Cinder had been observing people since she was very young. He may have waxed lyrically about how she deserved to be no one's pawn, but Cinder was no fool. She was a means to an end; a piece in his game. It would do him no good to allow for her death. His flowery words about the Light and her own autonomy were nothing but empty lies. The more he spoke, the more she resisted. He had denounced Salem's actions not only toward Remnant, but towards Cinder herself. As if her mistress would betray her first...

No, no no no! She would not be swayed by this pretender! With a clench of her fist, the window cracked, hiding the hellish vista of the Grimmlands with fractured pieces. Her single eye stared back her, the scars from Alak-Hul's coarse fist marring her beautiful face. Aura and Maiden powers both had failed to protect her from the Darkblade's unholy fist. And behind her, the ever present specter that had haunted her since Beacon's fall. The Speaker said nothing, contrary to his name, but merely stood behind her, his hands clasped behind his back as he waited for her to speak. They were alone, after all. Even though she could only see him, he was more than aware of their surroundings. Often times when he would stop his judgmental rambling was right before a witness came along, be it Hazel or Tyrian or Dr. Watts. The last of which never ceased to make her blood boil. The arrogant doctor from Atlas never stopped analyzing her, and his criticisms in their mistress' presence only further incited her rage. Cinder knew full well that retaliation in front of their mistress would lead to further scolding and disappointment from Salem, and Watts was sly enough to take advantage of that.

"Rage is a potent motivator, but it should never guide your hand." The Speaker admonished, and she immediately bit back a retort. What was the point? He'd just ignore it with that same calm demeanor he'd had since he'd started haunting her. And it wasn't just him anymore.

When she had possessed only half of the Fall Maiden's power, it had left a hungry void within her, eager to be filled by the missing piece. It was a hunger she saw no problem satisfying, and when Amber had died, Cinder had felt whole again, and extremely powerful. But now... there was a different calling. It was not a urge to be sated, no lust or hunger, but rather a soft melody that seemed to come from far away. Cinder couldn't hear it all the time, especially if she was discussing things with others. But some nights, when she was alone, a soft tune could be heard from far beyond her sight. When she heard it, Cinder's eyes lifted unbidden to the stars above.

Something was drawing her elsewhere. It was like her body naturally turned toward the nearest window. If she was focused on something, speaking with Salem or someone else, it didn't distract her. But at times like this, when she was _mostly_ alone, Cinder found herself drawn to the skies. The urge was gentle, more like an unconscious action that a terrible, debilitating hunger.

She hated it.

And every time the Speaker said something regarding the Traveler, the Guardians' dead god, the draw become much more intense. Like she was meant to be somewhere else. It was so wrong, in her eyes. She sought power and dominion, the ability to make the world turn upon a whim. And yet this robed specter preaching words of cooperation and sacrifice stirred more in her heart than Salem's promise of power. She hated him for it.

"I am my own master." She snarled to herself, knowing full well the Speaker could hear her. He could always hear her.

"I feel like you're trying to convince yourself of that, my dear." The Speaker said softly, and if he were capable she doubted for a second he would hesitate to place a hand on her shoulder. As if she needed his comfort.

"Begone. I want nothing to do with you or your precious Traveler." Cinder snarled, even as motion in the cracked window's reflection caught her eye. To her surprise, the Speaker was gone. In his place however, the crimson eyes of Salem stared back at her. Cinder could not stop herself from stiffening in alarm, and she turned all to quickly

"Where did you hear that name?" Her mistress asked, calmly but with a dangerous air. She recognized the name?

 _And I stood here like a fool, apparent to all the world to be talking to myself._ The Speaker had really placed her in a bind this time. Had that been intentional? Force the confrontation with Salem, and therefore give her little choice. How delightfully manipulative, if unfortunate. Still, Salem had always promised that honesty was the best policy. Here's hoping she would survive.

"Mistress..."

* * *

 _Earth, the Last City..._

"Ren and Nora are on their way to the hangar." Yang reported as she held Spark up above her hand. Beside her, Blake was running a critical eye down Wilt's blade, checking it for damages after their recent spar. The two were making haste toward the dorms within the Tower, where according to Cayde the last remaining Beacons had retired.

 _"Cardin and his guys are already there. As soon as we get to the Tower, we're heading back to Remnant. I'll explain when you get onboard."_ Ruby's voice lacked its usual cheer, and that immediately put Yang on edge. She had practically raised Ruby, fought with and teased the young girl for her entire life. The number of times she had been so serious could be counted on one hand.

The hallways on the residential floors were conveniently spacious, which was likely necessary since Guardians carried large objects like rocket launchers, swords, and fixed weapon placements to and fro. RWBY, JNPR, and CRDL – the Beacons of Remnant – had been allocated rooms not unlike their dorms in Beacon, but thankfully each had their own private bedroom. They were a little cramped though, so unless you were going to sleep, they usually hung out in the common areas. A small kitchenette off to one side provided basic food preparation, and three couches surrounded a large coffee table of sorts. It was the kind of environment a team would thrive in.

Yang found the entrance to team JNPR's dorm and reached for the handle, which she distantly noticed was wrapped with a red sash. Kind of like the one Pyrrha wore. Blake stepped back for some reason, though she didn't say anything as Yang's free hand wrenched the door open. As she forced the door open wide in typical Yang fashion, the blonde brawler found herself staring at a very intense and strenuous _training exercise._

"Alright. I'm heading into Jaune's room now to – HELLO!" Come on, on the couch? Clothing everywhere, holy shit where has he been hiding those abs - "We're returning to Remnant, big mission, see ya in thirty minutes BYE!" Yang stepped back from the room and let the door close just as Pyrrha yelled, 'I'm sorry!' Yang's face was lit aflame, and of course Blake of all people found the situation endlessly amusing. Together, they walked away from the dorm and headed back toward the elevators. By the time Yang got her blush under control, Blake decided to speak.

"It's about time. I think she's been asking for it since the school dance." The flat, deadpan way the Faunus said it almost caused Yang to trip once again. Still holding Spark up, Yang couldn't look at her Ghost. Even though he was connected to Ruby for their transmission, the little blue armored man was laughing his ass off.

"Jaune and Pyrrha may be a _bit_ late, but they'll be there. We're heading to the hangar now." A bit of the embarrassment must have crept into her voice, because Ruby noticed immediately.

 _"Why? Did he finally kiss her or something?"_ Oh yeah, kissing was involved. Along with some serious flexibility. Sometimes she forgot that Ruby was only sixteen, and her brief encounters with boys had been heavily regulated by their father and Yang. On top of that, Ruby's fascination with weapons and super heroes kind of postponed the whole 'sexual awakening' phase of her life. Hero worship of your dead mom would do that.

"Yeah, something like that. Look, we'll all give them hell about it later, but right now I need to know what's going on. So spill!" She used the demand as a distraction from what remained of her embarrassment, even as amber eyes continued to mock her. They stepped into the elevator and began the expedient climb to the Tower's apex, with Blake leaning up against the wall opposite of her. Though Yang was focused on Spark, Blake's pleased smirk did not escape notice.

 _"I only want to explain it once, and it's not something I want shouted across the Tower. Me and Weiss-"_ Yang distantly heard 'Weiss and I' in the background, meaning the Cryomancer was sitting in the co-pilot seat as usual. _"- are on our way. The jump counter says eighteen minutes, so get everyone together. Leader's orders!"_ Spark collected himself as the transmission ended, and even without a face she could tell that he was incredibly smug.

"I got pictures." He stated simply. Yang's blush returned, and she shook her head.

"No. Not cool. Delete them." Yang ordered, poking him in his miniature chest. "Right now. I never want to see those images again. Oh god, now I'm thinking about it!" The blonde lamented, letting Spark roam free as she used both hands to clutch her hair in exasperation.

"Nope. Sorry. Can't do it. Ghost memory, you know. Permanent and all that." Spark didn't sound the least bit sorry. "What's the matter? All the bumping and grinding got you riled up?" The question brought more images to her mind, and Yang swatted her Ghost away. The sash on the door suddenly made a lot more sense now. What the hell? Normally she'd have been on top of that – oh, poor choice of words. Damn brain!

"It's not right to intrude on someone like that! And stop being a creep." All the while, Blake watched in clear amusement. Before Yang could make herself mortal by completely crushing her Ghost, the quieter member of their duo stepped across the elevator and into Yang's personal space, stopping the anxious meltdown cold.

"If it bothered you that much, I have a few books you could read to...take the edge off." Blake whispered, and suddenly Yang's face lit up for a totally different reason. "Or maybe, I could read it for you?" WHAT. Where was this coming from?! That burning in her gut returned full force as Yang tried to put space between the two, only to buck up into the wall of the elevator. Who put that there while she wasn't looking? And where were the damn climate controls? It was getting hot.

"Uh, I-I mean, where would we do that?" Smooth, Yang. Heart breaker and the woman all men should dream about, can't even get an answer out. Of course, she was operating in unfamiliar territory here. Blake, of all people?

"Wherever you're comfortable. That's the whole point of reading for pleasure." Blake's eyes were lidded, and Yang couldn't help but noticed how her tongue flicked on the word 'pleasure'. "You just get nice and comfy, and let the words wash over you." A hand placed itself next to Yang's head, and hers came up defensively. Or nervously. Or whatever it took to stop this from going forward.

"Blake, I know we give you a lot of shit for your books, but you really don't have to read any to me." Yang's voice had raised an octave, and Blake noticed. The way her eyes creased in amusement, and that coy smirk...

"Are you sure?" A voice dripping with suggestiveness came out in but a whisper, and suddenly Blake was right there, their faces inches apart. _Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit._ "I think you might enjoy it."

Before Yang's train wreck of a brain could put together a response, the elevator opened, letting in the warm sunlight of the outdoors wash in. For a second, just a second, Blake's face was highlighted by the setting sun, a calm amber that matched the color of her eyes. And then the moment was gone, the Faunus standing naturally and stepping out of the elevator toward the hangar. Yang watched her go, dumbstruck and all too aware of the breath she'd been holding.

"Okay, I'm not even human and that was hot." And the moment was ruined. Yang rolled her eyes at her Ghost and stepped out, catching up to Blake as quickly as was socially acceptable. Her partner heard her coming – _stop, bad brain! -_ and slowed her steps until Yang caught up. A flash of her eyes and another pleased little smile, and Yang was breathless all over again.

"What the hell was that?" Yang demanded, though it came out like an angry kitten. Damned hormones. Blake didn't look at her again, but she did chuckle.

"What? It got your mind off of Jaune and Pyrrha, didn't it?" And with that, Yang stopped cold. Watching her partner smugly walk away – _Holy Bellabooty –_ Yang couldn't deny that she had been successfully distracted from the Arkos walk in. Now, however...

"Yeah, but now I have a different problem." Where was the nearest shower, and how cold did it get?

By the time Yang was under control and in the hangar, the rest of the team had arrived. Even Jaune and Pyrrha, who steadfastly refused to look her in the eye. Not that she was trying to do the same either. Instead, Yang took her place standing next to Blake, and the Faunus smirked at her late arrival. Whatever smart ass comment she wanted to purr out was dwarfed by the arrival of the _Iron Symphony_ , lifting up from below the Tower. The transmat system onboard quickly picked up the Beacons, and the world disappeared in a shower of Light, only to be replaced by the interior of Ruby's ship. Twelve Guardians made the ship a tight fit, but Cardin's team was already making room in the aft portion of the ship. There were additional jump seats back there, but they still needed to hear what Ruby had to say.

"Alright everyone." Ruby declared, spinning around in the pilot's seat even as Summer took the ship up away from the Tower. Behind her, the dimming sun shone brilliant gold across the bow of the _Iron Symphony,_ slowly fading to black as they exited the atmosphere. "Now that we're all here, I have some bad news." Instead of elaborating, Ruby tapped a button on her console, and a large screen descended from the aft portion of the crew bay, near where Cardin was standing. Seriously, these Guardian ships had everything. The screen was black, and a few more beeps indicated that Ruby was entering commands.

"Hang on... no that's not it... alright, there we go." An image appeared as the screen came to life, and not one of them moved. The image of Horst cleaving through the White Fang in his Taken form was shocking to all except Ruby and Weiss, having seen it once before. Gasps were heard from Nora and Pyrrha, and the loud cracking of knuckles came from Cardin as his fists clenched angrily. Russell sighed heavily at the sight of their former mentor, and soon all eyes were back on Ruby once more.

"General Ironwood sent that to us less than six hours ago. Apparently, the White Fang are splitting thanks to the information we got from the raid on the White Fang base. Unfortunately, they're calling us in because we're the ones that can face Professor Horst." Physical pain became obvious as Ruby winced, clearly never expecting to say those words. The be fair, Yang didn't blame her.

"I thought Atlas declared war on the Guardians?" Dove asked from the back. "Why aren't they handling it themselves?" Ruby nodded to him and cleared her throat.

"Lord Shaxx and General Ironwood are trying to get a peace treaty of some sort put together, and a lot of people see the Taken as the Guardians' problem. If we can get this under control, it may make things better between Atlas and Earth. We're also the only ones that really know Horst besides Magnus, Spirit, and Shaxx. Magnus and Shaxx are busy in Vale, and Spirit is...well, she's not answering us. So it's up to us to stop Professor Horst before he hurts anyone else!" She raised a fist in the air, and all parties involved were surprised when a white scaled creature climbed up from behind her and crawled up her arm, using it as a vantage point to look around the cabin.

"Ah! Titan! I told you to stay put!" Ruby squawked, waving her arm in an attempt to dislodge the baby Ahamkara. Weiss scooted in her seat, doing her best to inch away from the unnatural creature even as it clung to Ruby's arm for dear life. A few indignant chirps and squeaks later, and Ruby reluctantly stopped trying to remove him. Instead, Titan curled up around her shoulders and stared out the canopy, its reptilian eyes unblinking as it gazed into the void.

"Ruby, I know we agreed to keep your secret, but everything in the Guardian libraries indicate that Ahamkaras are dangerous creatures. You need to be careful with him." Ren cautioned, and Yang nodded with him. Still, it didn't stop the nearly unconscious motion of petting the tiny dragon on his head, and he closed his eyes and leaned into her hand. It was the cutest little wish granting dragon of fate she'd ever seen! Also the only one, but who was counting?

"Alright, enough distractions! First mate Weiss, take us home!" Ruby declared imperiously. Weiss rolled her eyes and entered the coordinates for Remnant, one of the few sets they actually had.

"Don't call me that." Cardin and his team strapped into their jump seats in the rear of the cabin just as JNPR did the same along the starboard side. On the port side, Blake took her seat and patted the one next to her affectionately. Yang took it without a word and immediately pulled her harness down, doing everything in her power to look somewhere besides at her partner. That endeavor had her staring at Jaune, who for once in his life had the balls to glare at her. She'd know, seeing how she'd seen them.

 _Aw, man. Now I can't help but think about it again..._

With the shift of a throttle, the _Iron Symphony_ disappeared from Earth's orbit, changing galaxies in a matter of seconds.


	3. Chapter 3

Someone brought up that Earth and Remnant are in the same galaxy. Oops. You're right, but I wanted that last line to be so dramatic. I fix!

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

Trudging through the Mistralian wilderness didn't exactly come off as a vacation. The villages were quaint and nice, and the people in them usually a determined and happy bunch. When he didn't come up on a destroyed town full of Grimm, anyway. Once, Qrow had considered that the work of his Semblance. After he had slowly made his way through the ruin of Kuroyuri, however, he realized that might be a tad bit arrogant to think that a place so far out of the way would be wiped out thanks to him. The beleaguered spy sipped from his flask and groaned, the warmth of the alcohol fading away far too quickly for his liking.

Lord Shaxx had pretty much taken over Beacon, and the teachers were working with him. Qrow didn't blame them; the Guardians had, so far at least, sought to preserve the status quo and protect Vale as a whole. Sure, they'd cracked down on some racists here and there, but it was the same thing Ozpin would have done. What Qrow despised was everyone's willingness to trust the aliens with their safety. Even after Ruby and Yang had been recruited into the Guardians, Qrow's few interactions with Lord Shaxx had left him wondering if General Ironwood had just made up the whole 'declare war on Earth' thing, and was playing dictator underneath that helmet. Shaxx was a head taller than the Atlesian General, so that pipe dream wasn't very likely.

A scuff of shoe on dirt came from behind Qrow, and his shoulders hunched as he remembered his _other_ problem. He'd found Ozpin – in the body of a teenage boy named Oscar – and together they were headed to Mistral to check in with Leo Lionheart, the Headmaster of Haven Academy. Of course, the fact that they were doing it alone didn't sit well with Qrow. Until he got his new vessel trained up, Ozpin would be as useful as a condom in a cemetery in a fight. That meant that Qrow would be responsible for any and all threats that cropped up. If he failed, the young kid died and Oz got thrown into another helpless host, which Qrow would have to track down again. All the while, his two nieces were gallivanting off into the depths of space with the Guardians, and there wasn't shit he could do to help them.

"So... what's this Lionheart guy like?" Oscar asked from behind him, his arms behind his head as he casually strolled along behind him. Apparently, the cohesion between Ozpin and his hosts wasn't seamless, or maybe it just didn't start out that way. There were long periods of time when it was just Qrow and Oscar, with Ozpin appearing every now and then with directions. The disconcerting thing was that he couldn't tell if it was the technical immortal speaking or his pubescent tag along until they opened his mouth. He opened their mouth? And now pronouns were hard.

"Leo? Eh, he's alright I guess." Qrow offered with a shrug. "Easy to spook, but he's been Oz's contact in Mistral for some time. He's in power because of our little secret club." The fact that he had gone silent right after the fall of Beacon did not bode well, and Ozpin had been understandably concerned about it. Unfortunately, that concern now had them making all possible haste to Haven Academy, and stops at the local taverns were avoided due to _expedience_.

His flask had never felt so empty.

"Ozpin didn't really explain much about what you... uh, I guess _we_... do?" Oh great. Even during his little reincarnation bit, Ozpin had decided to be mysterious. It was most likely to prevent Oscar from being captured and tortured for information. He was still fuzzy on how much of Oscar was Ozpin, and the body hopping immortal had left it to Qrow to tell Oscar to mind his own business. _Typical_.

"I'll explain more when we get some reinforcements. No offense, but I don't wanna tell you anything that someone else would want to squeeze out of you." Qrow turned his head and watched Oscar out of the corner of his eye, and the way the boy dejectedly glanced down at the ground just screamed of how Ruby would do the same damn thing. Qrow allowed a frustrated growl to escape and pulled his flask, only to be reminded once again that it was bone dry. Qrow stared down at the flask, his own irritated face looking back up at him.

In the reflection, a black raven flew overhead. Great, just great.

"Fucking Semblance." Maybe it had been just a regular bird that caught his eye, and it just so happened to be flying directly toward the town that he knew was a few kilometers ahead. And it had red eyes. Total coincidence.

"Hey, can we stop soon? I need to use the bathroom."

UGH.

* * *

If Shaxx was surprised to see RWBY, CRDL, and JNPR come walking into his office, he did not show it. The Titan stood with his back to the window of his office, and a good thing too. Once the twelve rookie Guardians had squeezed their way in, his desk could barely hold back the wall of half trained warriors. Despite most of duties being administrative, Shaxx still wore full armor.

"Welcome back, Guardians. How was Earth?" He meant it rhetorically, but the cacophony of positive nods and comments still brought a smile to his face. Ren, of all people, looked haggard and worn, but the rest had enjoyed their trip. Once they all died down, Ruby stepped forward as well as she could. Shaxx focused on her, the towering giant an imposing man not only due to his size, but also because he had been Horst's master. So he was like a grand master to them?

"It was awesome! We met the Vanguard, and got to see the Tower, and we even went into the City!" She said quickly, her voice high both due to her anxiety over their reason for coming back as well as speaking to Lord Shaxx himself. Ruby's grin faltered and she looked back for support. Cardin of all people caught her eye first, and nodded meaningfully.

"Lord Shaxx, we received a message from Winter Schnee yesterday. We know what Professor Horst has been doing." She nodded to Summer, and the Ghost displayed the image Winter had sent them. Shaxx had already grown still at the mention of his fallen apprentice, but even without his helmet they could imagine his expression when the image of Horst killing White Fang grunts, slaughtering them in all of his Taken horror. Shaxx stared at his former pupil for a few tense moments, then his helmet turned toward Ruby.

"You say Winter Schnee sent you this? The Specialist that answers directly to General Ironwood?" There was a hard edge in his voice. "Why did he feel the need to send it to a bunch of initiates, when they could have contacted me?" Ruby and Weiss shared a look, and the heiress cleared her throat.

"If my grasp of the current political climate is accurate, General Ironwood sought to solve the problem without going through official channels. If the Atlesian Council felt that Ironwood was cooperating far too well with the Guardians, a perceived threat to Atlas and Remnant as a whole, they would likely move against him and seek to remove him from power." Weiss waved her scroll for emphasis. "Two members of the Schnee family with military level clearance discussing White Fang movements, however? Far less scrutiny would fall on the General, and he could protect Winter from anything too damaging." Weiss finished her explanation with a small bow, and Shaxx rubbed the chin of his helmet.

"It's just like he said then. Last I spoke to the General, he was worried about political backlash should he assist us in securing Vale. He is still very upset with us, make no mistake, but he recognizes that the Guardians are not responsible for what happened to Vale. His grievance with us is largely personal in nature." Shaxx gestured at the office around them. "Ironwood is far more broken up about the loss of his friend, and the secrets we had kept when action should have been taken. Even though Ozpin himself had asked for such secrecy, it is difficult to condemn the dead for their actions."

Ruby and the others exchanged a few looks, and this time it was Jaune that spoke up.

"We're here because we want to help. We can track down the professor." As soon as he said it, Jaune winced when Shaxx visibly recoiled and turned away.

"Absolutely not. Talented Huntsmen and Huntresses you may be, but Horst is beyond you. You have been Guardians for less than a year, and many of you haven't even come close to mastering the abilities that come with such a burden. Titan Horst would slaughter you all." The certainty and pain that filled Shaxx's voice more than stung, and the young Guardians did not take it well.

"That's bullshit!" Cardin snarled, and his team nodded their support. "He went through hell for us, and we've gotten so much stronger since he's been gone. We at least owe it to him to get him out of whatever Oryx did to him."

"You are not ready." Shaxx denied. "You have no grasp of the Light beyond that which you have blundered into. Every ability you boast to have was discovered on accident. Luck and foolish motivation are all you have, and it will take far more than that to take down my student. You must understand; Horst is changed now. The man that went through so much to teach you no longer existed. Oryx has molded him into a monster." Shaxx held up his hand, and his Ghost appeared. "Magnus and Cipher will go after Horst."

"No, wait!" Ruby interrupted, and Shaxx did pause to look at her. "We've got political connections. Before we were Guardians, we were Huntsmen and Huntresses. Technically, we're still Beacon students. Magnus isn't very... nice, when he tries to get what he wants, and Cipher is helping the other professors put the school back together. Send us with Magnus, and we can all find Titan Horst." Ruby pleaded, her silver eyes wide as she begged the Titan commander. "Please. With all of us moving as a team, we can help. We can stop him from hurting anyone else."

"No. Horst isn't just the first Guardian to be Taken in many years, he's one of the Hivebane. He and five other powerful Guardians stormed the moon and killed Crota, Oryx's son. He participated in the death of a _god_ , Ruby. You are all gifted, and far stronger than most of the people on this planet. But Horst is beyond you right now. Apprentice yourselves under a senior Guardian, explore the worlds touched by the Traveler's Light, but do NOT seek him out. I will not see you killed due to arrogance." Shaxx looked as if he would go on, but stopped suddenly, and his shoulders fell. In that moment, Ruby was reminded just how old Shaxx was. To him, they probably looked like all the other young Guardians that had charged into the dark and never came back. The elder Titan turned and faced the window he had in his office, looking out into the ruined courtyard of Beacon.

"I am sorry, but my word stands. Thank you for your information. Magnus will focus on finding Titan Horst." Shaxx at least sounded contrite, but it was clear he wouldn't change his mind. Cardin stepped forward to protest, likely to rage and swear and demand the mission, but Jaune's hand on his shoulder stopped him. The blonde offered the giant a slow shake of the head, and he relented, albeit reluctantly.

"Thank you, Lord Shaxx." Ruby bowed sadly. "We'll leave you to your work." With that, they all filed out one by one. Lord Shaxx did not turn around to watch them leave, and the outburst that Ruby knew was coming erupted as soon as she closed the door.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Cardin and Yang demanded in unison, not even glancing at each other as they both focused on Ruby. She weathered their anger easily, her mind elsewhere as she considered just how to get around the obstacle that presented itself to them. While Ruby sat with her hand on her chin, Weiss stepped in to defend her partner.

"Everyone has bent over backwards so far to support and encourage us. To throw a fit the first time someone tells us no is kind of immature." This time Nora scoffed, earning a glare from the Cryomancer.

"This isn't like the time Ren didn't make me pancakes." The hammer wielder clarified, even as the man in question stared off into the distance with a haunted expression. "This is Professor Horst we're talking about. He's out there under an evil spell, and we're sitting here doing nothing!" Russell and Dove nodded in support to her outburst.

"Lord Shaxx said Magnus will handle the investigation." Blake reminded them. "He's terrible at diplomacy, but if anyone is strong enough to fight Horst, it's him. Maybe we should let him handle it." Yang cast a worried look at her partner, but Blake stood firm. She had just supported the guy who preferred barbecuing the White Fang as opposed to speaking to them, so the blonde's concern was a little warranted.

"Oh, but he will handle it." Ruby said connivingly. "We just have to convince him that he should let us help." Yang and Blake exchanged worried looks, something that was not lost on the others even as Ruby rubbed her hands together with a scheming expression.

"Uh, sis? Have you met the guy? He's not exactly mister personality." Yang winced, not trying to stomp all over her sister's so-called 'plan'. Blake tried to look reassuring, but it clearly wasn't an expression she was used to.

"I'm not saying he's going to be open to it, but it will be easier to convince him than Lord Shaxx. Besides, he and Professor Horst were rivals; if we sell how much we can help him get to Horst, he may take us along just so he doesn't have as much trouble!" Ruby stomped her foot, desperately trying to get the others to see her side. "We won't know if we don't try! How else will we track down the professor?" The rest of them shared troubled looks, but in the end no one could refute the young leader. It was easier to let her figure out that she was wrong than it was to argue. Jaune and Dove exchanged looks and shrugged helplessly, and together the Beacons of Hope followed their leader out of the school and into the courtyard.

"Hey Sparrow." Cardin summoned his Ghost. "Find Aegis for us, will ya?" The small golden Ghost nodded and pointed itself toward the docks, where several Bullheads were parked.

"Titan Magnus is restoring a shop near the landing pad." The Ghost replied dutifully. Cardin nodded his thanks, and together the twelve Guardians made their way to the edge of Beacon's plateau. When they reached it, however, Ruby felt her stomach drop.

Cid's old shop had been demolished, with bullet holes and claw marks in equal measure. The roof had caved in, and the forge was exposed in its separate shed. Magnus' helmeted head could be seen bobbing next to the cold forge, and from the clinking it sounded as if he was collecting tools. The others approached him without delay, but Ruby found her feet cemented to the ground. Old man Cid had been closest to the landing pad when the White Fang had attacked. He was a cantankerous old man, fiercely loyal to Beacon and stubborn to a fault. If an attacker had kicked the door in on old Cid, it didn't take a genius to figure out his response...or the result. Cid had been gruff and insensitive at times, but the old man had asked for her help on more than one occasion. That made him a friend, if only slightly. Now, Ruby stared at the remains of his shop, knowing full well why she had not seen him in recent months. He was dead. And she hadn't even considered him until now.

Swallowing hard, Ruby blinked away the tears that burned her eyes, resolving to find out where Cid had been buried and visit him before they left Remnant again. It was the least she could do for the old quartermaster. When she finally entered the forge, the rest of them had surrounded Magnus, though it didn't look like they had brought up the subject they had come to find him for. Expectant eyes met Ruby's, and she took a deep breath before releasing it slowly.

"I know what you are here to ask." Magnus said quietly, picking up a ruined set of bellows and inspecting them. "Shaxx warned me that you would be coming to beg my help." There was no inflection in his words, he was simply stating a fact. Ruby waited to see if he would continue, and when he did not she decided to make her case.

"We've got connections here on Remnant. Blake knows a bunch of people in the White Fang, and Weiss is close to royalty in Atlas. As long as they have declared war against Earth, you'll need us to get into Atlas." Ruby began, and Magnus interrupted her with a raised hand. The other held a few clamps and a hammer that had survived the destruction of the shop.

"Help me clean this place up, and then we will talk. If I am to take over the previous quartermaster's duties, I will need to know what I'm working with." Jaune put a hand on Ruby's shoulder, knowing her response before her brow even furrowed. The reaper's silver eyes caught his blue ones, and he shook his head imperceptibly. Without another word, the Guardians picked up Cid's old shop. Cardin and Yang picked up the large toolbox from the corner of the forge shed and brought it out, while Jaune and Ren focused on picking through the rubble to find functional tools like Magnus had been doing. With thirteen of them doing the work, Cid's place was picked up and sorted quickly. The pragmatic old man had few mementos and valuables; with the exception of a few pictures and a solid gold railroad spike, Cid's personal items were all tools of his trade. He had truly been dedicated to his role as quartermaster in his old age. Magnus secured the valuables in a small bag and set it aside, likely for Professor Goodwitch to give to Cid's next of kin. Ruby looked around at the now barren forge, and flinched when she saw a dark brown stain near where Cid would work the bellows. She knew full well what it meant, but the fact that it had been Cid tore at her on a raw, personal level. The whole reason she had become a Huntress, and later a Guardian, was to protect people like Cid from monsters and bad guys. And yet here she stood, surrounded by evidence that no one had been there to protect the old man that had done so much for Beacon, regardless of his prickly disposition.

"Don't focus on it." The advice came from behind her, and Ruby turned to find Nora of all people. The normally exuberant girl was quiet, and the expression on her face told Ruby that this wasn't the first tragedy Nora had survived. She knew that Ren and Nora were orphans, but the story of how they met had never been shared with Team RWBY. As the two looked down where Cid had taken his last breath, Ruby found her breath hitching even as Nora's arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"I just- I mean, we were coming. If we'd been just a little bit faster..." Ruby bit out, her eyes stinging as she imagined Cid yelling at the White Fang even as they closed in, weapons raised. He'd probably even spit in their eyes, the mean old man that he was.

"Ruby, we were coming to save the whole city. We couldn't have known that Cid was in danger personally. And even if we had, what would he have said if we had let more people die just so we could save him? Do you think he would have forgiven us?" The reaper wanted to argue, but she knew the answer. The quartermaster would have been furious if she had put others in danger just to save him. Still, that knowledge did little assuage her guilt, and Nora just gave her another one armed hug and walked away. She joined Ren next to the doorway, and the two wrapped an arm each around each other so seamlessly that

no one could dispute whether or not they had faced loss before.

"When you are done, meet me in the quartermaster's house. I have most of his belongings gathered there." Magnus ordered, and the Beacons complied with a series of grunts and nods. Cardin's team focused on the forge itself, while Ruby's group picked through the workshop. Not much more was found, except an engraved hammer that hadn't seen much use, and after ten more minutes of searching they all converged on Cid's old house. The door frame was missing most of its support, and the wall that faced the forge and the docks had fallen in. Had that not been the case, Ruby had no idea how Magnus could have fit into the building. The inside of the house was just as depressing as the outside, and there were signs of a fire all over the place. What furniture there was had been covered in soot and blackened from flames. A couch and two tables had been in the main room, but most of them were unrecognizable now. Picture frames sat broken and brittle on the floor, their content scorched and lost forever. Magnus stood, his arms crossed, with a canvas bag next to him. It was of medium size, and was half full from what Ruby could tell.

A poor way to remember someone that was gone. Ruby's eyes were locked onto the bag, even as Cardin and Russell gently moved her out of the way so that they could squeeze in. The reaper allowed them, and was only snapped out of her trance when Weiss laid a hand on her arm. The Warlock gave her a meaningful look, and Ruby nodded shakily in return. Her partner released her and stepped to the side, though not so far as to be separate from Ruby. Just enough to give her space.

"Did you find anything else?" Magnus asked, nudging the bag forward with the toe of his boot. It clinked as it shifted, indicating that most of what had survived had probably come out of the forge. Ren knelt down and deposited a few scraps of paper, looking to be designs or drawings of some sort, then stood with a resigned frown on his face.

"There were a few pieces in the workshop that were too badly damaged to tell if they were important or not. Other than that, this is all that's left." The quiet member of JNPR reported. RWBY and CRDL offered similar results, and Magnus released a breath and nodded.

"Alright then." With a wave of his hand, Magnus summoned Aegis to transmat the bag, storing it away for him to deliver later. With that business done, he folded his arms across his chest and pointed his chin at Ruby. "Shaxx already told you no, and yet here you are begging me for a chance to go after your former teacher." Ouch. Straight to the point, then. Ruby swallowed hard, balling her fists up as frustration welled up in her chest.

"We owe Professor Horst to try and stop him from hurting others, and if there's even half of a chance that we can reverse what happened to him, we'll take it. Remnant owes Horst a debt, and if anyone deserves to pay it back, it's us." She looked around the room at the other Beacons, receiving supporting nods in return. When she turned back to Magnus, there was a determined fire in her eyes. "So you can either let us come with you, or put up with us stalking you the whole way."

Magnus tilted his head, his face invisible behind the slitted helm of the Iron Lords, and the silent moments he spent considered her request/threat were heavy with tension. Cardin had his hand on his mace, all too aware of the fact that they were trying to threaten a senior Guardian into allowing them to accompany him. If Magnus really wanted to, he could report them all to Shaxx without even leaving the shop. Horst's former master had been very lenient and understanding given their history with Horst and the subsequent loss, but Ruby knew without a doubt that his anger would not be swayed by pity.

"Alright. I'll bring you along." Magnus snorted at the hopeful smile that spread across Ruby's face, dashing it with the others and shaking his head. "Not because there's a chance that you will succeed, but as a lesson of sorts. You need to see that not everyone can be saved."

His casual dismissal for their hope shocked Ruby, and before she could stop it an angry snarl escaped her. How dare he?! He was Horst's friend too, and he was telling them to just give up? Did he even care?

"We can't just give up on him!" Ruby stated hotly. "What kind of rival are you?" Yang stepped forward and put a hand on Ruby's shoulder, holding the little reaper back lest her uncharacteristic anger turn to violence. Ruby tried to shake off her sister's hand, but her grip was iron.

"I've fought the Taken before, Guardian Rose. Make no mistake; Horst is dead. No matter what we do, how hard we fight, we can never reclaim him from the Blight." Magnus stepped up to Ruby, his breastplate inches from her nose. Even so, her silver eyes glared defiantly up at him. "He will not struggle when he sees you. He will not fight the Taken King's influence. He will cut you all down like wheat before the scythe. Only then will you realize that there is no more Titan Horst, only a sick, twisted creature walking around in his flesh."

"You don't know that! We may still be able to do something! Force Oryx to release him, or free him like Cayde freed all those Ghosts on the Dreadnought."

"Cayde freed Ghosts that sought out new Guardians, their original partners too corrupt and devoid of Light to be resurrected. They were trophies, keepsakes of a time when Oryx absolutely destroyed humanity after the Collapse. Horst is, as far as we can tell, Oryx's favorite champion. The King himself would die before he released Horst from his control. And if the King dies, the Taken will be an uncontrolled mass of Blighted beings. Short of a bargain that your late professor would never abide, there is no way to release him from the curse he now endures. It would be far more merciful to kill him and end his suffering." Magnus delivered the ultimatum evenly, emotionlessly, clearly already come to terms with the fact that his old rival was beyond redemption. Ruby stared at him, incredulous that he would give up without so much as a fight. Behind her, Weiss cleared her throat.

"That's true given what is known about the Taken so far. We still have a lot to learn about the Blight in general. Maybe by making contact with the professor, we can make a more informed decision. Magnus may not be wrong, but we need to make sure regardless. We need the chance to know for sure." Weiss was trying to play mediator, though she was clearly just as shocked as everyone else by Ruby's hostility, as well as Magnus' cold outlook on his fallen friend's situation.

"Like I said, you are free to come along." Magnus turned and picked up the canvas bag, hooking the handles onto his belt and leaving his hands free. "The sooner you are relieved of this naive outlook, the sooner you can grow as Guardians. It would go against Horst's memory to allow otherwise." With that, he stepped past Ruby and out the door, leaving the Beacon's of Hope standing in the remains of their former quartermaster's house. Cardin and Yang sneered as the veteran Titan walked out, and the normally quiet Dove even muttered 'asshole'. Once he was gone, however, they all turned to Ruby.

"So, what now?" Pyrrha asked gently. Ruby's eyes flicked from one friend to another, but her focus was internal. Was it still worth it to go, if they were to receive such a harsh 'lesson' from Magnus? The man seemed so assured that Horst was doomed to be Oryx's puppet, yet she knew that their late professor had respected the man enough to defend him from Spirit's barbed insults.

"We got our answer." Jaune offered, taking the attention from Ruby for a moment. "Whether the douche is right or not, we have the window we were looking for. There's a victory in that, at least." There were some murmurs of agreement from Sky and Ren, but the general consensus was one of serious doubt. The cheerful determination from earlier had soured into a grim confusion, and one Ruby didn't have the solution to.

"And what if he's right? What if we can't save the professor?" The reaper asked glumly. No one had a response.

* * *

"That is the extent of my burden mistress. I beg forgiveness for deceiving you." Cinder prostrated herself in front of Salem, keeping her head bowed and her eyes down as the Queen of the Grimm considered her confession. The very act of bowing in such submission would have normally appalled Cinder to her very core, but such humble groveling was likely the only way she would see another sun rise. Salem remained silent, contemplating Cinder's admission. Whether she did so without comment to consider her next words or to allow Cinder to stew in misery was anyone's guess.

"I do not condone such deception Cinder." Salem finally admonished, and the raven haired Maiden shivered in fear. "However, I do understand why you felt the need for such. These circumstances are certainly unique, and I have not seen servants of the Traveler for some time." Cinder's bloodshot eyes snapped open at the mention of the Guardian's patron god. She had told her mistress of the Speaker and his haunting words, but she had never named that which the man worshiped. Salem already knew of the Guardians?!

"I...mistress, you are not surprised that they exist?" Cinder could not keep her eyes down any longer, and she was partially relieved to see that Salem had taken a seat. The relief only went so far, however, as the glowing red irises remained on her.

"This is not the first time I have seen their kind." Salem said flippantly, waving a hand as if she were clearing cobwebs from her face. "The Traveler's minions are part of the reason Remnant is populated by anything other than Grimm. Though to be fair, I also bear some responsibility in that." At Cinder's shocked surprise, the Queen of the Grimm chuckled.

"When Ozpin and were first cursed by the Gods, humanity was wiped out across the planet. It was only after the arrival of the Traveler's worshipers, humanity coming from Earth, that Ozpin was reincarnated. Before that time, the Darkness fell upon Remnant." Salem's smile was bitter, brittle; it held no real warmth. "The Hive, they were called. There were a few others, but the Hive were the true invaders to our planet. To _MY_ planet. They pushed humanity to the brink of extinction, and Earth's great defenders abandoned Remnant just as the Gods did before. The only difference was, when the Hive came calling, I answered. My Grimm tore the Hive apart, waves upon waves of Darkness crashing down upon the trespassers. Their leader, an entitled Prince named Crota, demanded I surrender this world and swear fealty to him in all things." Salem scoffed, examining one of the jewels that hung from her ornate robes. "By the time we left the battlefield, that rotten prince was running home with his tail between his legs. That was the last I ever heard of the Traveler and Earth, though the reappearance of Ozpin did well to...distract me from the invasion. The humans that I had saved grew into what we know today as man and Faunus, and the rest as they say is history."

Cinder could only bow her head in shame at the conclusion of Salem's story. How foolish she had been, to entertain such perilous thoughts of revolt against her mistress. Salem was all powerful, and had repelled the enemies of the Traveler more successfully than the warriors of Earth had. The Speaker's infuriating words, once believable, were now nothing more than a hollow lie. He had tried to deceive her, to force her into betraying the one person that could grant Cinder the power she desired.

"Remarkable." Even now, with Salem in the room, the Speaker stood off to the side. He did not take a fighting stance, or make any other indicator that he opposed what Salem had said. All he did was stand, his hands clasped behind him as his listened to the tale. To Cinder's surprise, Salem's eyes locked onto her personal tormentor. The Speaker himself said nothing, but simply stepped further out toward the two women.

"I don't recall inviting you to my castle, little mouse." Salem's words were dangerous, dripping with simmering anger. The Speaker nodded and bowed, unclasping his hands to make the gesture more sincere.

"Stories abound of the Collapse, of heroes and despots alike that distinguished themselves among the ranks of history. We could never differentiate between the many fallen worlds, but there have always existed tales of the witch in the forest. One whose dark powers eclipsed those of the Enemy." The Speaker sank to one knee, deepening his bow and keeping his tone civil. "It is an honor to meet the woman that banished Crota from your world. Be it in our interests or your own, you saved an entire people from slaughter." Cinder slowly stood and backed away from the Speaker, edging more towards her mistress. His words all these months had been to strike out on her own path, to abandon Salem and her goals in favor of seeking her own life. Now, he was prostrating himself before her? What was his angle? What did the Speaker have to gain from ceding so much to Salem?

"Your praise rings hollow, worm, when you deliver it in such an underhanded manner." Salem snarled, her eyes glowing brighter for but a moment. "Had I not interrupted Cinder in the middle of one of her fits, you would have continued to burrow and feed upon her like the leech you are." Cinder flinched at her mistress' casual address of what the Fall Maiden would consider a serious breach in discipline. Regardless of the slight, however, Salem was protecting her goals, and Cinder was party to such ambitions.

"I meant no disrespect. My connection to the Traveler, and thus the Maidens, allowed me to speak to young Cinder exclusively these past few weeks. That you can see me at all is a true feat of power and perception." The Speaker stood as he said so, keeping his pose calm and neutral. "I'm afraid that you are correct, however. Cinder is capable of doing great things for humanity, should she wish to do so." He admitted it?! All that talk of choosing her own path, and the Speaker as good as confessed that he had been lying to her face for months, on top of the torment of lost sleep and constant haunting. Certainly, he had never outright told her to attack Salem, but how long would it have taken to go from question Salem's intent to plotting her demise? She had been played as a fool from the start.

"Cinder's capacity is known to me, and her loyalty is mine to command. You would do well to remember that, little man. If you thought she would betray me, you are quite mistaken." Salem's eyes never left the Speaker, but Cinder felt that her cue to declare her loyalty had just come up.

"My mistress has promised me power unrivaled, and a solution to the disease that are Huntresses and Huntsmen. What can you offer that would be worth betraying the very Queen of the Grimm?" Cinder asked mockingly, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt. The Speaker turned his masked head toward her, and regarded her with a slight tilt of the head. Silence reigned as he considered her question, though the light tap of Salem's impatient nails on the chair she reclined in reminded all involved that the conversation was a dangerous one.

Finally, the Speaker answered. "Freedom." He nodded toward Cinder, a dismissal of sorts she supposed, then turned and bowed once more to Salem. "I have encroached upon your domain for the last time, your Majesty. I hope that the next time we speak, it shall be in person. You did something great for our people, and I shall not forget that. May the Traveler watch over you both." The Speaker's form shimmered, and finally he disappeared. With him, the constant nagging feeling of something hanging over Cinder's shoulder ceased entirely. In the months leading up from the attack on Beacon, even when the Speaker was absent from her sight, the Fall Maiden could always tell that his focus was close by. He had always been watching, observing her as he toyed with her emotions. Only now that Salem herself had intervened was he well and truly gone. Cinder expected to rejoice at the absence of her loathsome specter. Instead, all she felt was...loneliness.

"When next we meet, I shall tear your entrails from your rotten corpse, liar." Salem muttered, more for Cinder's benefit than anything else. Once more reminded that she was alone with her mistress, the raven haired beauty dropped to one knee in subservience once again. "Your loyalty does you credit, Cinder. He tried to sway you with false tales of power in the face of darkness, but I saw what that power yielded. Death and despair for all who fought the Hive, and it was only the Grimm that destroyed them. You have done well to remind him of that."

"I never doubted you, my Queen. If he appears again, I will do everything in my power to seek your aid." Cinder agreed, hoping desperately that her pledge would get Salem off of her back. The Queen might have been mollified by the elimination of her specter so soon after discovering him, but the Fall Maiden would be a fool not to tread carefully here.

"See that you do. He appears cordial now, despite his massive breach in procedure and privacy, but mark my words that he will seek to end all that we have accomplished." Salem stood from her chair, her robes flowing to conceal her alabaster skin. Cinder stood as well, following her mistress out of the room and toward the main hall. "I've called for the others to meet. We have been idle for too long as it stands. The Guardians are moving against the Taken King, and it would be foolish not to take advantage of their distraction."

Cinder nodded eagerly, stopping at the threshold of her room. She went to follow Salem, but a small tug at the back of her mind stalled her. The Fall Maiden turned, her eye locked on to the place where the Speaker had vanished. His constant presence was gone, but still...something about him persisted. His words, so hollow in the face of his admitted guilt, still did not leave her mind. Shaking her head, Cinder turned and followed her mistress, closing the door behind her.

* * *

Fennec straightened his robes in the mirror meticulously, making certain that every fold and crease was removed from the immaculate materials. The White Fang's reputation had suffered a serious blow following the destruction of Beacon, as the broadcasts had been quite damaging prior to the destruction of the CCT. Atlas' war with another world had done some good in distracting the public, but outside of their home island the White Fang was being pushed back on all fronts. Surviving members had even reported defection in the Vale region. Adam's forces were falling apart, and it was up to Fennec and Corsac to pick up the slack.

The red, black, and white robes of Menagerie's temple had always fit Fennec well. He prided himself on his appearance and his conduct, always moving forward with the Faunus in mind. In times, he had made difficult decisions in the name of progress, such as supporting Adam Taurus' rise to power. The young man was strong and driven, the kind of leader that drew people to his cause, but Fennec had also cautioned a little _insurance_. The young and impressionable members would follow Adam without question, but the veterans not immediately backing the young firebrand required leverage to ensure their cooperation. Leonberger had been one such piece of leverage, but it would take more than the Founder of the White Fang to convince the older crowd to fall in line.

Adam himself had been furious when he had found out, but Fennec and Corsac had been able to sway him. As Fennec descended down deep into the temple, far below the common areas where prayers and blessings were sought, he couldn't help but chuckle. He and his brother had power within the White Fang, and no small amount of it either. Not only in their ability to manipulate the faithful toward the cause, but also in their proficiency in guiding the movement. Sienna Khan, for example, would never have stepped down willingly as Adam had wanted her to. It had been Fennec's counsel to slay the tiger, and Adam had agreed on the condition that she be hailed as a hero. Corsac had been only to happy to oblige, spinning a tale of intrigue and martyrdom that left the old leader a hero and Adam in charge. Together, Fennec and his brother had done more to shape the White Fang's future than all of its leaders combined.

Fennec passed a few torch sconces, their burning cargo emitting a dim light down the hallway. Thanks to his stellar night vision, a gift granted to most Faunus, he could use the dim light source to see the whole room. Along the wall, four cells stood, the bars of their prisons glinting in the fire light.

The problems arose, however, when Adam's personal vendetta against the Belladonna girl began costing the White Fang valuable members and supplies. The Fall Maiden, this 'Cinder Fall', had promised Adam all sorts of things for the White Fang's cooperation, but the young survivor of the Belladonna family had been the deciding factor. Adam's weakness had always been Blake, and according to preliminary reports from Beacon, the little whore had cost Adam an arm. Certainly something of a growth spurt, but not entirely unexpected. With such strong genes like hers, Blake Belladonna was destined for greatness, and it would take more than the petty ambitions of a fool like Adam to stop her. No, to truly stall someone like Blake, a little bit of finesse was required.

"They say that those closest to us are capable of harming us the most, is that not right my dear?" Fennec purred, chuckling darkly as he stood in front of the left most cell. "And what could be closer than family?"

In response to his comment, yellow eyes glowed hatefully in the dark.

* * *

Neo had combed Mistral for Cinder's location. Every nook and cranny had been searched. People had been paid, the word put out, and every criminal between Atlas and Vacuo was aware that Neopolitan was out for blood. The petite young woman leaned against a small wooden building in the Mistralian town of Fuyuki, a rest stop between the Kingdom's capital and the wilderness. Out here, the CCTS had spotty signal at best, and the Guardians' jury rigged replacement wasn't exactly trusted given all the nasty things Atlas was saying about them. She'd used it to get a message to Junior, including a brief synopsis on what had happened to Roman.

The thought of her partner nearly brought a tear to her eye, both pupils blinking pink as the small murderer wiped the moisture away. Roman's bowler hat kept the rain from her face, so she had less of an excuse if any passerby caught her crying. Sure, she could play off the young girl in distress, but it was so tedious to act weaker than she was. Roman had always respected her power, and recognized her for what she was truly capable of.

And Cinder had taken him away.

The thought of the Fall Maiden shifted Neo from despair to rage in an instant, her eyes sharpening as she grit her teeth together. Cinder was to blame for everything. She had been the one to back Roman into a corner, _she_ had been the one to threaten his life against her, SHE had been the one to bring the Grimm to Vale. It was all **HER FAULT!**

A message on her scroll caused the device to chime, and Neo's face shifted back to calm indifference, her spiraling mood halted as she drew it from her pants pocket. One of Roman's contacts in Mistral had reported a Bullhead heading into the Grimmlands, though he could not verify the passengers. That he had witnessed the Bullhead at all was useful, and Neo transferred money into his account under another program as reward for the information. Knowing now the true identity of Salem's master, it did not take a detective to figure out that even if Cinder herself was not on board, someone of importance to the hag was clearly moving around.

Using the new information, Neo sent another message to a fence near Haven Academy, one she knew to deal with Huntsmen and Huntresses. A generous reward of five thousand lien was posted, and she modeled the request to be for a missing woman. The Huntsmen would see the beautiful face and the reward money and think her the daughter of some noble or CEO that had been misplaced during the battle of Vale. Despite her speech during the Fall of Beacon, Cinder's appearance greatly differed now that her wounds from that giant alien zombie had healed. There was enough of a distinction that the political fallout prevented the people on the ground from putting two and two together.

The altruism and greed of the Huntsmen and Huntresses would deliver Cinder to her, and then Neo could have her revenge. The very thought of it caused a shark-like grin to spread across the psychopath's face, and she skipped out from underneath the shelter of the awning she had strayed underneath. The village she was operating out of was close enough to Mistral's CCT that her scroll could keep in contact with her network, yet far enough away that anyone seeking her would be hindered by spotty tracking and an overload of data to sift through. Roman had taught her well enough to avoid capture.

At the corner of the wall, a small cart sat close to the road, with an elderly man waving to passersby and selling ice cream. Neo loved ice cream, and had always demanded that Roman buy her some at every opportunity. With him gone, though, the treat no longer held the same satisfaction. The assassin/thief let her scroll fall from her face as she regarded the stand. As she watched, a young woman was wearily dragged before the cart by two young boys, both sporting red hair and dark eyes. The two begged the woman – their mother or sister, judging by her similar features and haggard demeanor – to buy them some ice cream, and she relented with the withdrawal of some lien. The boys cheered, and Neo's nose scrunched in irritation.

Roman had made her happy, and now he was gone. Why did they deserve to be happy when she was not? It wasn't right to be so happy in front of someone when they were upset! The urge to teach the little brats a lesson made her hand fall to her side, where her parasol hid a thin blade. She'd teach them not to lord their happiness over her. They weren't better than her, they were no better than Cinder!

Another chime caught her before she could properly punish the little devils ruining her favorite treat, but this was a different chime. One she had not heard for a long time. Neo looked down at her scroll, seeing the notification for a new message. With a shaking finger, the mute woman opened the message. It wasn't long, just a single text message with four words. But they were words she never expected to see again.

 _Ollie Ollie oxen free._

Neo nearly dropped her scroll, a tempest of doubt and joy raging within her. Another message followed, and this one held a picture. When she saw it, all doubt fled from her, and Neo forgot about the two little brats and their tortured mother figure. The game had just changed.

A silent laugh escaped her as she tossed her head back, prancing down into an alleyway and out of the street. When she was certain no one could see her, Neo's form shattered completely, leaving behind nothing in her wake. As she departed, the children began to sing.

 _"I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!"_

* * *

 **A/N:** Not quite the same length we're used to, especially after a long wait. However, most of next chapter will be combat oriented, and I wanted to set the stage for this story properly before we get bogged down into a twelve on one slug fest. I'll be releasing a new story soon, another RWBY crossover, but this one will not be as important as the main series. I mainly just wanted to write it to see if I could. This is the second story in a trilogy, and I've already got the end game mapped out. The main reason it took so long for me to put this out is because I kept getting ahead of myself and contradicting the story.


End file.
